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NYU  N - PANG. 


SAN-POH, 


OR 


NORTH  OF  THE  HILLS. 


A NARRATIYE  OF  MISSIONARY  WORK  IN  AN  OUT- 
STATION  IN  CHINA. 


BY 

Rev.  JOHN  L.  NEVIUS. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION, 

No.  1334  CHESTNUT  STREET. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1869,  by 

THE  TRUSTEES  OF  THE 

PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION, 

In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District 
of  Pennsylvania. 


W e8tcott  & Thomson 
gtereotypers,  Philada. 


CHAPTER  I. 


First  Visit  to  San-poh 5 

CHAPTER  II. 

Dawning  Light 28 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  Leaven  Working 55 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Converts  Increasing 83 

CHAPTER  V. 

Letters  of  Mr.  Zia  from  San-poh 112 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Conclusion 125 


3 


' 

. 

. 

. 


CHAPTER  I. 

FIRST  VISIT  TO  SAN-POH. 

jST  the  autumn  of  18*56,  Rev.  F.  F. 


Gough,  a missionary  of  the  Church 
of  England,  and  myself  started  out 
from  Ningpo,  China,  on  an  itinerating 
or  preaching  tour.  We  directed  our 
course  to  a region  of  country  which 
had  never  before  been  visited  by 
foreigners,  called  San-poh,  which 
means  “ North  of  the  Hills.”  Many 
other  places  farther  in  the  interior 
had  been  visited  by  missionaries,  but 
this  had  been  passed  by,  as  it  was  re* 

] * 5 


6 


SAN-POH. 


moved  from  the  usual  line  of  travel, 
and  contained  no  large  cities  or  towns 
of  note.  It  was  also  regarded  as  a 
section  whose  inhabitants  were  un- 
usually rude,  lawless  and  uninterest- 
ing. Perhaps  these  reports  had  ex- 
cited our  curiosity  somewhat.  At 
least,  for  some  reason  or  other,  we 
determined  to  go  “North  of  the  Hills” 
and  see  for  ourselves  the  people  who 
lived  there. 

We  started  in  the  usual  travelling 
boat  of  Ningpo  called  n-bong jii/n, 
“ dark-covered  boat.”  This  craft  is 
about  thirty  feet  long  and  six  wide  in 
the  middle.  The  body  or  hull  is  about 
two  feet  and  a half  high.  This  is 
covered  by  a thick  bamboo  matting, 
but  so  as  to  form  an  arch.  The  mat 
being  painted  black  on  the  outside 


SAN-P0H. 


7 


gives  tlie  boat  its  name.  Even  in  the 
middle  this  covering  is  not  high 
enough  to  admit  of  standing  in  an  erect 
position.  About  two  feet  from  the 
bottom  a platform  is  made  of  movable 
boards,  on  which  passengers  spread 
their  beds,  while  baggage  and  mer- 
chandise are  placed  underneath.  The 
boat  is  divided  into  three  compartments. 
About  one-fourth  of  it  at  the  stern  is 
devoted  to  the  two  boatmen.  Here 
they  have  their  cooking  apparatus,  a 
few  bowls  and  their  chop- sticks  which 
they  use  in  eating,  and  some  wood 
for  cooking,  and  also  their  bedding, 
which  they  spread  on  the  movable 
floor  or  platform.  On  this  one  of 
them  sleeps  while  the  other  propels 
the  boat  with  a long  scull-oar. 

There  is  also  a small  compartment 


8 


SAN-P0H. 


about  six  feet  long  in  the  bow,  where 
we  place  some  of  our  baggage,  and 
where  our  servant  sleeps.  Close  to  the 
partition  dividing  this  compartment 
from  the  middle  is  a hole  for  the 
mast,  as  we  use  a small  sail  when  the 
wind  is  favourable.  The  boatmen  go 
forward  and  back  on  a narrow  rim 
outside.  The  middle,  generally  about 
six  by  fifteen,  is  occupied  by  passengers. 
We  use  the  movable  boards  to  make 
a platform  over  about  one- half  of  it, 
on  which  we  spread  our  beds.  The 
remaining  space  contains  a small  table 
and  one  or  two  chairs  or  benches.  In 
pleasant  weather  the  back  cover  of  the 
front  compartment  is  removed  and 
affords  light  and  ventilation.  Here 
we  often  come  to  enjoy  the  luxury  of 
standing  up  and  looking  at  the 


SAN-POH. 


9 


country  around  us.  When  the  weather 
is  rainy,  as  it  often  is  in  that  climate, 
the  mat  is  drawn  over  this  open  space 
also,  and  we  are  entirely  shut  in,  hav- 
ing only  one  or  two  holes  on  each  side, 
about  four  inches  square,  through 
which  we  can  look  out.  These  too 
sometimes  have  to  be  shut  in  rainy 
weather,  in  which  case  we  only  have 
the  light  and  air  which  find  their  way 
through  the  cracks  and  crannies  of  the 
mat  covering.  These  are  the  boats  in 
which  we  not  only  travel,  but  cook, 
eat  and  sleep  for  days  and  sometimes 
weeks  together. 

Such  a boat  Mr.  Gough  and  I en- 
gaged, storing  it  with  four  or  five  days’ 
provisions,  and  tracts  for  distribution; 
and  taking  along  a servant  to  cook  for 
us  and  look  after  our  boat  when  we 


10 


SAN-POH. 


were  on  shore.  We  generally  start  in 
the  river  with  the  evening  tide.  A 
great  many  boats  have  been  waiting 
for  the  turn  of  the  tide,  and  when  the 
flood  begins  to  flow  inland  all  start 
together.  We  find  ourselves  sur- 
rounded by  scores,  and  perhaps  more 
than  a hundred  boats  in  company 
with  us.  Boatmen  and  passengers 
often  recognize  old  acquaintances,  and 
there  is  a great  deal  of  talking  and 
shouting,  asking  and  answering  ques- 
tions, and  indulging  in  wit  and  pleas- 
antry. In  a short  time,  however,  the 
boats  are  separated,  some  moving 
faster  and  some  slower:  the  passengers 
make  their  beds  and  prepare  for  the 
night’s  rest;  the  lights  are  put  out,  and 
nothing  is  heard  but  the  noise  of  the 
scull  turning  on  its  socket,  accom- 


SAN-POH. 


11 


paniecl,  perhaps,  by  the  low  song  of  the 
boatman  with  which  he  whiles  away 
the  night  watches. 

In  the  forenoon  of  the  second  day, 
just  before  reaching  the  city  of  Yu- 
yiao,  we  turned  off  from  the  main  river 
into  a branch  which  runs  to  the  north, 
and  in  an  hour  or  two  reached  the 
head  of  river  navigation.  In  proceed- 
ing upon  our  journey,  we  were  now 
obliged  to  make  the  ascent  from  the 
river  level  into  the  canals  above.  To 
effect  this  the  Chinese  use  mud-slides, 
instead  of  locks,  and  the  boats  are 
drawn  up  by  means  of  windlasses 
turned  by  one  or  two  scores  of  men. 
At  these  mud- slides,  called  in  that 
part  of  the  country  paw,  we  often  find 
a large  company  of  boats  waiting  for 
their  turn.  As  strangers  from  abroad, 


12 


SAN-POH. 


we  are  generally  allowed  to  take  the 
precedence,  especially  if  we  pay  the 
paw-men  a slight  additional  fee.  The 
crowd  of  boatmen  good-naturedly 
open  a way  for  us,  and  feel  com- 
pensated for  the  slight  delay  by  the 
sight  of  a foreigner,  the  gratification 
of  being  heartily  thanked  for  their 
politeness,  and  a few  tracts  distributed 
among  them  with  the  request  that 
they  will  present  them  for  us  to  some 
teacher  or  scholar  in  their  village. 
The  boatmen  themselves  are  very 
seldom  able  to  read.  When  the  bow 
of  our  little  craft  touches  the  bottom 
of  the  slide  or  inclined  plane,  two  large 
cables  made  of  twisted  bamboo  are 
handed  to  the  boatmen,  one  from  the 
windlass  on  each  side,  and  a large 
noose  on  the  end  of  each  cable  is 


SAN-POH. 


13 


slipped  over  the  stern  of  the  boat,  and 
the  men  begin  to  turn  the  windlasses. 
The  inclined  plain  is  kept  slippery  by 
being  wet,  and  the  boat  moves  gradu- 
ally up.  When  it  reaches  the  top,  the 
men  at  the  windlasses  stop  for  a mo- 
ment to  receive  their  usual  (or  in  our 
case  rather  unusual)  fee;  then  a few 
more  turns,  and  we  slide  down  the 
other  side  of  the  paw  into  the  canal. 

After  passing  this  point,  we  found 
ourselves  in  San-poh.  This  is  a flat 
country  lying  between  the  hills  north 
of  Ningpo  and  the  Hang-chow  bay. 
On  our  largest  maps  the  place  is 
hardly  discoverable.  It  is  about 
thirty-five  miles  long  and  perhaps 
fifteen  wide.  It  is  all  dotted  over  with 
villages,  and  cut  up  with  canals  as 
numerous  as  the  roads  in  this  country, 


14 


SAN-POH. 


and  contains  between  one  and  two 
hundred  thousand  inhabitants.  San- 
poh  may,  in  many  respects,  be  taken 
as  a sample  of  the  populous  plains 
throughout  the  whole  empire  of  China. 
There  are  no  fences  or  walls  except 
those  around  the  houses.  There  are 
no  pasture-fields.  The  whole  country 
is  under  a high  state  of  cultivation, 
and  every  foot  of  available  land  is 
brought  into  requisition  to  supply 
sustenance  for  the  swarming  inhabit- 
ants. You  see  very  few  houses  stand- 
ing by  themselves:  even  the  farmers 
live  in  villages  or  hamlets  for  the  sake 
of  mutual  protection.  The  principal 
productions  of  this  part  of  China  are 
rice — on  which  the  people  chiefly  sub- 
sist— and  cotton,  tea,  wheat,  tobacco, 
Indian  corn,  and  a great  variety  of 


SAN-POH. 


15 


vegetables ; and  most  of  the  fruits 
which  we  have,  though  of  an  inferior 
quality. 

In  most  books  on  China  we  read  a 
great  deal  of  the  vast  extent  of  the 
country,  and  its  numerous  and  popu- 
lous cities,  and  the  wealth  and  re- 
sources of  the  empire.  In  this  small 
volume  I intend  to  speak  principally 
of  the  rural  inhabitants  of  San-poh, 
but  will  at  the  outset  give  some 
general  information  about  the  Chinese 
Empire,  which,  together  with  its  de- 
pendencies, covers  a considerably 
larger  area  than  the  United  States  and 
its  territories.  China  Proper,  generally 
called  “ The  Eighteen  Provinces,”  be- 
cause it  is  made  up  of  eighteen  prov- 
inces, is  a country  more  than  half  as 
large  as  the  whole  territory  of  the 


16 


SAN-POH. 


United  States  stretching  from  the  At- 
lantic to  the  Pacific,  and  these  eighteen 
provinces  are  all  inhabited  by  a very 
dense  population.  Most  of  them  con- 
tain each  about  two-thirds  as  many  in- 
habitants as  the  whole  United  States. 
Every  province  has  its  capital  city, 
surrounded  by  massive  walls  of  solid 
masonry  of  great  height,  and  from 
eight  to  fifteen  miles  in  circumfer- 
ence. These  provincial  capitals  con- 
tain about  one  million  of  inhabitants 
each — some  of  them  considerably  more. 
There  are  also  between  one  and  two 
hundred  walled  cities  considerably 
smaller,  corresponding  to  our  country 
towns.  Besides  these,  there  are  more 
than  a thousand  walled  cities  still 
smaller,  corresponding  to  the  chief 
village  in  a township  with  us.  They 


SAX-POH. 


17 


generally  contain  one  or  two  tens  of 
thousands  of  inhabitants  each.  These 
cities  were  all  built,  and  many  of  them 
were  old,  when  our  country  was  an 
unbroken  forest  inhabited  by  the 
Indians.  Surrounding  these  walled 
cities  are  almost  innumerable  un- 
walled towns  and  villages,  similar  to 
those  which  we  found  in  San-po'h. 
These  villages  are  never  indicated  on 
even  the  largest  of  our  maps  of  Chi- 
na, though  some  of  them  contain  four, 
six,  or  even  ten,  thousand  inhabitants. 
The  names  which  till  up  these  maps 
are  all  designated  walled  cities,  and 
not  a few  of  these  are  omitted. 

The  first  principal  town  which  Mr. 
Grougli  and  I visited  was  Ming-ngoh- 
dziang.  It  contains,  I should  judge, 

about  four  thousand  inhabitants,  in- 
2 * 


18 


SAN-POH. 


eluding  many  families  of  high  literary 
culture  and  some  of  great  wealth. 
When  we  entered  the  place,  immense 
crowds  of  people  followed  us,  for  most 
of  them  had  never  seen  a white  man 
before.  A white  skin  appears  very 
strange  to  them,  as  they  are  about  the 
colour  of  our  American  Indians,  and 
resemble  them  in  some  other  respects. 
The  boys,  all  wild  with  excitement, 
shouted  at  the  top  of  their  voices, 
“ Hung-  mao  nying  Ice  - de"  — “ The 
red-haired  men  have  come.”  This 
is  the  name  they  always  give  us. 
Every  Chinaman  has  long,  coarse 
black  hair;  and  they  were  much  sur- 
prised, when  they  first  met  with 
foreigners,  to  learn  that  they  have  hair 
of  various  shades  and  colours.  They 
were  particularly  astonished  at  those 


SAN-P0H. 


19 


who  had  red  hair,  and  so  called  us  all 
by  this  name,  for  they  had  no  other, 
and  could  not  perhaps  think  at  first 
of  a more  appropriate  one.  We  found 
a place  in  the  town  before  a temple 
where  there  was  a large  space  of 
ground  nicely  paved,  and  here  we 
stopped  while  a noisy  crowd  gathered 
round  us.  In  a short  time  the  boys 
were  somewhat  quieted,  and  the  peo- 
ple, when  they  found  that  we  could 
speak  their  language  and  were  dis- 
posed to  be  friendly,  began  to  gratify 
their  curiosity  by  asking  questions,  as 
they  are  very  glad  to  do  under  such 
circumstances:  “Do  rice  and  wheat 
grow  in  your  country?”  “Do  you 
have  twelve  months  in  the  year,  as  we 
have  here?”  “Do  you  have  horses 
and  cows  and  pigs  and  chickens,  as  we 


20 


SAN-POH. 


clo?”  “Does  the  sun  shine  in  your 
country,  as  it  does  here?”  “How  did 
you  come  here,  and  how  long  were 
you  in  coming?”  While  we  are 
answering  those  and  similar  questions, 
those  nearest  to  us  are  feeling  of  our 
boots  and  the  cloth  of  our  coats,  and 
making  remarks  in  an  undertone 
about  the  different  articles  of  our 
dress,  the  whiteness  of  our  skin,  the 
prominence  of  our  noses  and  the 
colour  of  our  eyes  and  hair.  The 
people  are  generally  kind  and  friendly, 
and  we  soon  get  acquainted  with  each 
other.  When  we  have  secured  their 
attention,  we  have  a good  opportunity 
to  preach  to  them.  We  speak  of  the 
God  who  made  the  earth  and  sky, 
who  thunders  in  the  heavens,  causes 
the  rain  to  fall,  and  supplies  all  our 


SAN-POH. 


21 


wants  as  our  heavenly  Father.  Also 
of  our  ignorance  and  disobedience,  and 
of  the  Saviour  who  came  to  reconcile 
us  to  God  and  prepare  us  for  heaven. 
These  doctrines  seem  very  strange  to 
them,  for  their  country  is  filled  with 
idols  and  idol  temples,  and  they  are 
all  worshippers  of  idols.  It  is  dif- 
ficult for  them  to  understand  clearly 
what  we  mean.  But  they  do  under- 
stand in  part,  and  they  go  home  and 
talk  about  what  we  teach.  In  this 
way  the  truth  finds  an  entrance  into 
some  hearts,  and  will,  we  trust,  like 
good  seed,  spring  up  sooner  or  later 
and  bear  fruit. 

We  spent  several  days  going  from 
village  to  village,  conversing  with  and 
preaching  to  the  people,  and  distrib- 
uting tracts.  In  one  place  called  Sing- 


22 


SAN-POH. 


s-gyiao  the  people  treated  us  with 
some  rudeness,  showing  that  their 
character  had  not  been  altogether 
misrepresented.  On  the  whole,  how- 
ever, we  were  rather  pleased  with  them. 
There  was  a kind  of  outspoken  frank- 
ness and  earnestness  about  them.  We 
went  back  to  Xingpo  very  tired,  but 
glad  that  we  had  made  this  visit,  and 
that  we  were  able  to  give  so -favour- 
able and  encouraging  a report  of  the 
inhabitants  of  San-poh. 

A short  time  after  our  return,  Mr. 
Russell,  also  a member  of  the  English 
Church  Mission,  made  another  trip  to 
San-poh.  The  previous  visit  of  Mr. 
Gough  and  myself  had  excited  a good 
deal  of  interest,  and  was  much  talked 
about  even  in  places  which  we  did  not 
reach.  In  some  of  these  villages  there 


SAH-POH. 


23 


was  a class  or  sect  of  religionists  wlio 
seemed  desirous  of  acquiring  a know- 
ledge of  some  religion  better  than 
those  that  prevailed  among  their  own 
people.  These  heard  of  us,  and 
learned  that  wherever  we  went  we 
requested  the  people  to  ask  questions, 
and  took  special  pleasure  in  answer- 
ing them.  They  said  that  this  oppor- 
tunity was  just  what  they  wanted,  and 
that  if  we  should  ever  come  again 
they  would  ask  questions  without  end. 
When  it  was  known  in  San-poh  that 
Mr,  Russell  was  visiting  among  these 
villages,  they  immediately  sought  him 
out  and  requested  an  interview.  He 
was  as  much  surprised  as  delighted  to 
receive  into  his  boat  a company  of 
men  who  appeared  to  be  earnest  in- 
quirers after  the  truth.  They  were 


24 


SAX-POH. 


not  scholars  or  men  of  wealth,  but 
seemed  intelligent,  thoughtful  and 
very  original  in  their  views,  as  com- 
pared to  the  great  mass  of  their 
countrymen. 

Mr.  Russell  found  that  they  be- 
longed to  a sect  called  the  Wu-wei-kiau , 
or  Dzd-kiau,  the  “ Do-nothing  religion,” 
or,  as  some  translate  the  latter  term, 
the  “Tea  religion.”  They  professed  a 
disbelief  in  and  abhorrence  of  idol- 
worship,  and  of  the  different  rites  and 
meritorious  works  practiced  by  Budd- 
hists. They  believed,  they  said,  in 
turning  the  thoughts  inward  and 
giving  attention  to  religious  contem- 
plation, and  to  cultivating  the  better 
feelings  of  our  nature.  Hence  their 
name,  “Do  nothing.”  They  expressed 
a deep  interest  in  the  Christian  religion, 


SAN-POH. 


25 


because  it  appeared  to  them  much 
like  their  own,  and  they  hoped  to  find 
in  it,  in  a fuller  and  completer  form, 
the  truth  for  which  they  were  seeking. 
A further  acquaintance  with  them, 
however,  showed  that,  notwithstanding 
their  interesting  and  hopeful  character 
in  a religious  point  of  view  as  com- 
pared to  the  Chinese  generally,  they 
had  very  confused  ideas  of  what  they 
believed,  and  had  only  exchanged  one 
form  of  idolatry  for  another.  Though 
they  professed  to  have  renounced 
Buddhism,  many  of  their  doctrines 
were  identical  with  those  of  that 
system.  They  believed  in  the  trans- 
migration of  souls,  and  were  very 
strict  vegetarians,  regarding  it  a sin  to 
destroy  animal  life.  In  their  places 
of  worship,  instead  of  offering  their 

3 


26 


SAN-POH. 


homage  to  idols,  they  erected  a tablet 
on  which  they  inscribed  the  names 
Heaven,  Earth,  Emperor,  Parent  and 
Teacher,  and  presented  before  this 
tablet  offerings  of  bread  and  tea.  This 
is  the  reason  given  by  some  for  their 
being  called  the  “Tea  religionists.” 
They  had  not  been  able  in  searching 
to  find  out  God,  and  had  no  idea  of 
the  one  supreme  Ruler  of  the  universe. 
So  utterly  helpless  is  fallen  man  to 
recover  himself  from  his  wanderings 
from  the  only  true  God  ! 

An  effort  was  immediately  made  by 
the  missionaries  of  the  Church  of 
England  to  instruct  these  people,  and  a 
new  out-station  was  established  among 
them.  Most  of  them,  when  they 
became  better  acquainted  with  Chris- 
tianity, and  found  that  it  sanctioned  the 


SAN-POH. 


27 


use  of  animal  food,  and  required  the 
observance  of  every  seventh  day  as  a 
day  of  rest  and  religious  worship,  and 
tolerated  no  religious  homage  paid 
either  to  heaven,  earth,  emperor, 
parent  or  teacher,  were  as  decided  in 
their  opposition  to  it  as  any  other 
class.  The  hearts  of  a few,  however, 
seemed  opened  to  receive  the  gospel : 
other  natives  outside  of  the  wu-wei 
religion  were  interested,  and  the  new 
station  gave  promise,  from  its  very 
beginning,  of  being  a successful  one. 


CHAPTER  II. 

DAWNING  LIGHT. 

HOME  months  before  the  occurrence 
^ of  the  events  referred  to  in  the 
former  chapter,  a man  named  Zia 
Ying-tong  was  introduced  to  one  of 
the  missionaries  at  Ningpo  as  an  in- 
quirer. He  was  a clerk  in  a shop  in 
the  city,  the  business  of  which  con- 
sisted principally  in  selling  articles 
used  in  idolatrous  worship.  He  be- 
came acquainted  with  the  Christian 
religion  through  a friend  named 
Dzing  Shih-nyiao,  who  was  a Christian, 
and  often  spent  evenings  conversing 
28 


SAN-POH. 


29 


with  him  about  foreigners,  foreign 
countries,  and  especially  the  new  re- 
ligion which  the  foreign  teachers  were 
introducing.  Zia  became  much  in- 
terested, and  soon  acknowledged  his 
love  to  the  Saviour  and  his  desire  to 
profess  his  faith  in  him.  He  was  a 
quiet  and  unpretending  man,  honest- 
hearted,  outspoken  and  earnest.  Mrs. 
Zia,  his  mother,  was  opposed  to  his 
being  a Christian,  and  was  enraged 
when  she  found  that  her  son  persisted 
in  the  determination  in  opposition  to 
her  wishes.  He  had  always  been 
dutiful,  and  had  hardly  ever  before 
refused  to  obey  his  parents  in  any- 
thing. His  mother  was  now  a widow. 
She  belonged  to  a very  respectable 
family  and  was  in  tolerably  good 
circumstances.  She  had  a strong  will, 

3 * 


30 


SAX-POH. 


and  was  accustomed  to  rule  in  her  own 
house  without  her  authority  being 
questioned.  An  older  son  occupied 
some  official  station  in  the  city;  this 
younger  one,  she  hoped,  would  be  a 
successful  business  man.  She  was  a 
very  religious  woman  in  her  way,  and 
years  before,  when  Ying-tong  was  but 
a boy,  she  had  often  taken  him  with 
her  while  she  went  from  temple  to 
temple  to  worship  the  idols.  Ying- 
tong  would  carry  her  little  basket  con- 
taining incense-sticks  and  candles  to 
burn  before  the  idols,  and  a lunch  for 
them  to  eat  at  noon,  for  they  often 
stayed  away  worshipping  in  the 
temples  nearly  all  day.  Like  other 
Chinese  woman,  Mrs.  Zia  had  very 
small  feet.  Yearly  all  the  little  girls  in 
China,  when  about  five  or  six  years  old, 

j J 


SAX-POH. 


31 


have  their  feet  tightly  compressed  with 
bandages  so  that  they  hardly  grow 
any  larger  afterward.  With  feet  only 
three  or  four  inches  long,  it  is  of  course 
difficult  for  them  to  walk.  Mrs.  Zia, 
when  tired,  would  put  her  hand  on 
Ying-tong’s  shoulder  to  steady  her 
tottering  steps,  as  mothers  in  China 
are  apt  to  do.  I have  no  doubt  she 
felt  proud  of  him,  and  often  thought 
what  a comfort  he  would  be  to  her  in 
old  age  and  widowhood.  It  is  not 
strange  that,  from  his  kind  and  loving 
mother’s  example  and  teachings,  he 
too  learned  to  worship  idols. 

How,  however,  he  had  found  the 
better  way.  His  eyes  were  opened  to 
the  folly  and  sin  of  idolatry  and  to  the 
loveliness  of  the  Saviour’s  character. 
But  his  mother  could  not  understand 


32 


SAX-POH. 


these  new  doctrines.  She  thought  her 
son  had  been  deceived  and  led  astray 
by  the  foreigners.  It  seemed  to  her 
that  he  was  almost  insane.  To  become 
a Christian  was  in  her  view  to  disgrace 
himself,  and  her  and  his  family,  and 
their  ancestors,  to  insult  the  gods 
which  they  worshipped,  and  to  provoke 
their  anger  and  punishment.  "When 
she  found  that  kind  entreaties  were 
of  no  use,  she  insisted  upon  exercising 
her  authority  as  a mother,  and  de- 
clared that  he  should  not  become  a 
Christian.  She  even  went  so  far  as  to 
bind  him  with  cords  and  make  a 
prisoner  of  him  in  the  house.  She 
would  occasionally  go  into  the  room 
to  see  him,  and  insist  upon  his  giving 
up  his  foolish  notions  and  promising 
never  to  go  to  see  the  foreigners  again. 


SAN-POH. 


33 


When  she  found  that  his  purpose  was 
still  unchanged  she  would  threaten 
and  curse  him,  and  beat  him  with  a 
stick.  It  seems  strange  to  us  that  a 
grown  man  should  submit  to  such 
treatment  even  from  his  mother,  but 
Zia  Ying-tong  knew  that  if  he  should 
resist  his  mother  by  force,  it  would 
excite  great  opposition  among  friends 
and  neighbours,  who  would  say  that 
the  first  effect  of  this  foreign  religion 
was  to  make  sons  unloving  and  un- 
dutiful.  He  told  his  mother  that 
while  he  should  always  love  her  and 
be  an  obedient  son  in  other  things,  he 
must  in  this  matter  do  what  he  felt 
and  knew  was  right.  She  assured  him 
that  if  he  took  this  course  he  would 
be  disinherited  and  disowned,  and 
would  be  left  without  any  means  of 


34 


SAN-POH. 


support.  He  replied  to  this  that  he 
would  go  about  the  streets  with  a 
burden  on  his  back  as  a common 
peddler,  rather  than  not  be  a Chris- 
tian. 

Mrs.  Zia,  after  she  found  that  all 
efforts  to  shake  the  purpose  of  her  son 
were  useless,  was  obliged  from  neces- 
sity  to  allow  him  to  do  as  he  pleased, 
though  she  continued  to  treat  him 
with  much  coldness  and  severity. 

]STot  long  after  his  baptism  he  was 
solicited  by  Miss  Aldersey  to  assist  her 
in  the  conduct  of  her  girls’  boarding- 
school.  Miss  Aldersey  was  an  English 
lady,  who  from  an  early  age  had  felt  a 
strong  desire  to  serve  Christ  as  a 
missionary.  After  being  prevented 
for  years  from  entering  this  work  by 
domestic  ties  which  seemed  necessarily 


SAN-POH. 


35 

to  bind  her  to  her  home  in  England, 
she  was  at  length,  at  the  age  of  forty, 
permitted  to  carry  out  her  cherished 
purpose,  and  devoted  her  life,  her 
fortune  and  her  untiring  energies  to 
the  work  of  bringing  Chinese  women 
to  a knowledge  of  Christ.  At  the 
time  of  which  I am  writing  she  was  at 
the  head  of  a girls’  boarding-school 
in  the  city  of  JNTingpo,  numbering  more 
than  fifty  pupils.  She  very  much 
needed  a reliable  native  to  assist  her 
in  the  varied  and  trying  duties  neces- 
sarily connected  with  such  an  estab- 
lishment. It  was  this  position  which 
Zia  was  requested  to  occupy.  He  at 
first  promptly  declined  the  offer,  for 
the  following  reasons  : The  heathen 
Chinese  often  account  for  their  people 
becoming  Christians  by  saying  that 


36 


SAN-POH. 


we  hire  them,  and  that  they  are  in- 
fluenced only  by  mercenary  motives. 
They  apply  to  them  the  familiar 
adage:  “ Ky'uoh-nying  ih-un , tfing  nying 
s-Jiwun ” — “If  you  eat  a man’s  rice  you 
must  do  what  he  bids  you.”  Zia  had 
resolved,  in  order  to  show  his  people 
that  he  had  become  a Christian  from 
far  different  motives,  not  to  enter  the 
employ  of  foreigners  in  any  way.  But 
he  was  strongly  urged  to  reconsider 
this  matter  by  those  who  felt  that  it 
was  his  duty  to  become  Miss  Alder- 
sey’s  assistant,  because  it  seemed  the 
best  opportunity  afforded  him  of  doing 
good  and  serving  the  Master.  He  was 
prevailed  upon  after  a time  to  enter 
this  school,  and  attended  to  the  duties 
required  of  him  in  a manner  most 
satisfactory. 


SAN-POH. 


37 


In  the  course  of  a few  weeks,  Miss 
Aldersey  found  that  she  did  not  require 
all  of  Zia’s  time  in  the  school,  and 
determined  to  employ  him  as  a col- 
porteur. As  the  attention  of  mission- 
aries was  then  attracted  toward  San- 
poh  by  the  events  which  I have  de- 
tailed in  the  former  chapter,  Miss  A. 
was  disposed  to  send  him  into  that 
vicinity.  The  missionaries  of  the 
Church  of  England,  with  a Christian 
liberality  which  has  always  character- 
ized them,  cordially  welcomed  us  to 
labour  there  with  them.  In  visiting 
this  region  of  country  as  a colporteur, 
Zia  took  lodgings  with  one  of  the  in- 
quirers connected  with  the  English 
mission,  who  resided  in  the  village  of 
Siao-gyiao-deo , while  he  made  frequent 
excursions  into  the  surrounding  vil- 


38 


SAN-P0H. 


lages,  distributing  religious  books  and 
tracts  and  telling  the  simple  story  of 
the  cross. 

While  there  on  his  third  or  fourth 
visit,  we  received  a letter  from  him  in 
Ningpo,  the  purport  of  which  was  as 
follows  : “There  is  a great  interest  in 
Christianity  here,  and  every  night 
large  numbers  of  the  villagers  assem- 
ble at  my  stopping-place,  and  I talk 
to  them  till  a late  hour.  You  know  I 
am  but  a learner  in  the  school  of  Christ 
and  imperfectly  fitted  to  do  his  work : 
please  send  Lu  Sin-sang  to  help  me.” 
The  position  in  which  the  Presbyterian 
mission  was  now  placed  was  this  : We, 
or  rather  the  majority  of  the  mission- 
aries, from  the  prudence  or  perhaps 
slowness  which  has  too  often  charac- 
terized us,  had,  until  this  time,  adopted 


SAN-POH. 


39 


the  principle  of  not  sending  our  native 
assistants  away  from  us  to  labour  by 
themselves,  but  kept  them  with  us 
as  our  attendants  and  under  our  con- 
stant watch  and  supervision.  Miss 
Aldersey  belonged  to  the  Independent 
Church  in  England,  and  was  in  every 
respect  an  independent  woman.  There 
being  no  mission  of  that  body  of  Chris- 
tians in  INTingpo,  she  had  connected 
herself  with  our  church,  and  the  Chris- 
tian girls  in  her  school  had  followed 
her  example.  Without  consulting  us, 
she  had  sent  Zia,  one  of  the  more  re- 
cently received  members  of  our  church, 
to  tell  his  countrymen  the  story  of 
“Christ  and  him  crucified,”  and  Grod 
was  manifestly  owning  and  blessing 
his  labours.  What  should  we  do  under 
these  circumstances?  This  seemed 


40 


SAN-POH. 


evidently  the  call  of  God,  and  all 
acquiesced  in  sending  Lu  Sin-sang  to 
San -poll,  agreeably  to  Zia’s  desire.  A 
short  time  after  the  mission  took 
formal  action,  appointing  me,  as  I was 
the  pastor  of  the  native  church,  to 
take  charge  of  the  work  in  connection 
with  Miss  Aldersey. 

When  Mr.  I^u  had  been  in  San-poh 
a few  days  we  received  a letter  from 
him  containing  the  following  informa- 
tion and  request:  “The  number  of 
interested  persons  is  increasing.  I 
have  talked  till  I am  hoarse  and 
almost  ill.  Please  send  Dzing  Sliih- 
nyiao  or  Ling-viu  to  help  me.”  These 
native  Christians  went  and  returned 
brin&ino;  with  them  still  more  encour- 
aging  reports.  Their  presence  and 
object  became  known  to  all  the  inhabit- 


SAN-POH. 


41 


ants  of  the  village,  and  many  came  in 
the  evening  from  a distance  of  several 
miles  to  hear  of  the  new  doctrine.  A 
few  soon  openly  declared  their  belief 
in  Christianity,  and  afforded  a great 
deal  of  assistance  to  the  native 
preachers.  Others  opposed  their 
teachings  as  inconsistent  with  those 
of  Confucius,  and  as  dangerous  and 
revolutionary  in  tendency.  Warm 
discussions  arose.  Among  those  who 
took  a strong  stand  in  favour  of  Chris- 
tianity  was  an  old  man  who  had  a 
small  shop  in  the  village,  in  which  he 
sold  paper  money  and  incense,  which 
are  burned  in  idolatrous  worship. 
When  convinced  of  the  folly  and  sin 
of  idolatry,  he  openly  burned  these 
articles,  determining  to  have  nothing 
more  to  do  with  them,  though  his 


42 


SAjS-POH. 


largest  profits  had  been  from  their 
sale.  This  singular  course  in  a person 
well  known  in  the  village  attracted  a 
good  deal  of  attention  and  remark,  and 
many  went  to  visit  Nyiin-pang,  as 
they  called  him,  in  his  shop,  and  in- 
quired what  these  things  meant. 
Some  would  enter  into  discussions 
with  him  and  endeavour  to  dissuade 
him  from  his  purpose,  and  others 
tried  to  make  sport  of,  and  railed  at 
and  abused  him.  He  was  always 
good-natured  and  conciliating  in  his 
replies  to  these  different  classes  of 
persons,  and  often  told  them  that  he 
was  not  a scholar  nor  used  to  contro- 
versy ; and  sometimes,  taking  them  by 
the  sleeve,  he  would  urge  them  to  go 
with  him  to  where  the  Christian 
teacher  was  and  talk  with  him.  In 


SAN-POH. 


43 


this  way  many  strangers  were  brought 
to  the  native  teachers  from  JNV un- 
pang’s shop.  By  degrees,  the  people, 
even  educated  men,  were  afraid  to  enter 
into  controversy  with  these  defenders 
of  the  new  faith;  for  it  seemed  that 
special  wisdom  was  given  to  them, 
‘‘which  all  their  adversaries  could 
neither  gainsay  nor  resist.”  A person 
possessed  of  a knowledge  of  Chris- 
tianity has  a great  advantage  in  dis- 
cussion with  one  who  is  ignorant  of  it, 
for  he  defends  a system  which  is  clear 
and  consistent,  and  feels  confident  in 
his  position;  while  the  defenders  of 
idolatry  are  always  involving  them- 
selves in  new  inconsistencies.  The 
converts,  even  those  of  the  humbler 

“N 

classes,  acquired  great  boldness  and 
success  in  giving  a reason  for  their 


44 


SAN-POH. 


faith,  and  found  that  with  truth  and 
Christ  on  their  side  they  could  stand 
before  learned  men  and  “princes.” 
Christianity  was  familiarly  called  in 
that  region  the  “ Poh-feh-tcio-go  dao- 
li ” — “The  doctrine  which  cannot  be 
thrown  down.” 

In  a short  time  twenty  or  thirty 
persons  were  reported  as  openly 
acknowledging-  their  faith  in  Christ, 
and  wishing  to  unite  with  the  church. 
I determined  not  to  visit  Siao-gyiao- 
deo  for  some  months,  but  to  leave  the 
work  in  the  hands  of  the  natives 
through  whom  it  had  been  begun, 
only  giving  them  counsel  and  direction 
as  they  needed  it.  I feared  that  the 
curiosity  and  excitement  which  my 
presence  among  them  would  neces- 
sarily occasion  might  interfere  with 


SAN-POH. 


45 


the  interest  which  had  followed  the 
preaching  of  the  natives,  and  was 
purely  a religious  one.  A considerable 
number  of  the  inquirers,  however, 
visited  me  at  Ningpo,  and  I had  long 
and  interesting  conversations  with 
them.  We  determined,  while  giving 
them  all  the  Christian  sympathy  and 
advice  which  they  needed,  to  defer 
their  baptism  for  a time,  until  their 
sincerity  and  firmness  should  be 
tested.  It  was  not  long  before  new 
difficulties  arose,  which  they  had  not 
anticipated,  and  the  zeal  of  many 
grew  cold.  The  Christians  found  that 
there  was  no  friendship  nor  sympathy 
between  the  Church  and  the  world. 
They  met  with  opposition,  abuse  and 
annoyance  from  their  neighbours  and 
relatives.  The  owner  of  the  house 


46 


SAN-POH. 


where  the  native  preacher  stopped 
was  threatened  with  violence  because 
he  had  received  and  assisted  these 
“preachers  of  corrupt  doctrines  and 
disturbers  of  the  peace,”  as  the  native 
preachers  were  called.  The  doors  and 
windows  of  the  house  where  they  were 
stopping  were  more  than  once  carried 
away  and  hidden  during  the  night, 
and  the  Christians  were  insulted  and 
annoyed  in  many  ways.  The  obser- 
vance of  the  Sabbath  also  presented  a 
serious  difficulty.  Many  of  the  in- 
quirers were  employed  by  landholders 
as  labourers  in  the  fields,  and  were 
in  danger  of  losing  their  places  and 
not  finding  others  if  they  should 
persist  in  resting  every  seventh  day. 
Some  were  shopkeepers,  and  were  told 
that  they  would  not  be  patronized  by 


SAN-POH. 


47 


the  villagers  if  they  did  not  keep  their 
shops  open  every  clay.  The  carrying 
out  of  this  requirement  of  Christianity 
was  generally  spoken  of  as  utterly 
impracticable  and  impossible  in  China. 
Strict  abstinence  from  all  connection 
with  idolatrous  rites  and  ceremonies 
was  another  serious  matter,  and  occa- 
sioned constant  misunderstandings 
and  disturbances  in  families  which 
contained  one  member  who  desired 
and  endeavoured  to  follow  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Bible. 

As  the  result  of  these  various  dif- 
ficulties, one  after  another  of  those  who 
had  felt  disposed  to  identify  them- 
selves with  the  religion  of  Jesus  with- 
drew  from  the  companionship  of 
Christians,  and  the  general  interest 
and  excitement  which  prevailed  for  a 


48 


SAN-POH. 


few  weeks  passed  away,  and  crowds 
of  curious  listeners  no  longer  assem- 
bled at  the  house  where  the  gospel 
was  preached.  Those  who  still 
adhered  to  the  new  faith  were  not 
openly  persecuted  as  at  first,  but  were 
in  a measure  avoided.  Christianity 
had  been  freely  talked  about  in  every 
family  in  the  neighbourhood,  and 
most  of  the  people  were  acquainted 
with  its  prominent  doctrines  and 
usages.  When  we  conversed  with 
them  they  generally  admitted  that 
the  doctrine  was  good,  and  no  doubt 
the  very  best  for  us,  but  insisted  that 
it  did  not  suit  their  circumstances. 

About  six  months  after  my  first 
visit  to  San-poh  with  Mr.  Gough,  I 
started  again  for  the  village  of  Siao- 
gyiao-deo  in  company  with  elder  Lu 


SAN-POH. 


49 


to  examine  candidates  for  admission 
to  the  Church.  We  reached  that  place 
in  the  evening,  and  leaving  our  boat 
proceeded  unobserved  to  the  rented 
house  which  was  occupied  by  Mr.  Zia. 
The  house  where  they  stopped  at  first 
had  proved  too  small  and  a larger  one 
had  been  procured.  Mr.  Zia  had  also 
married  one  of  the  Christian  pupils  in 
Miss  Aldersey’s  school,  and  was  now 
living  here  with  his  wife.  When  we 
reached  the  house  we  found  several 
inquirers  seated  around  the  table  and 
earnestly  engaged  in  studying  the 
Scriptures.  We  spent  a very  pleasant 
evening  with  them.  The  whole  of  the 
next  day,  which  was  Saturday,  was 
occupied  in  the  careful  examination 
of  candidates  for  church  membership. 
Several  of  those  who  had  been  to 


50 


SAX-FOH. 


Ningpo  to  see  me  several  months  be- 
fore clid  not  make  their  appearance. 
A few  came  to  express  their  sympathy 
and  their  regrets,  saying  that  they 
believed  in  the  gospel  and  would  like 
to  be  Christians,  but  they  could  not 
take  this  step  at  present,  on  account 
of  the  opposition  of  relatives.  I do 
not  know  that  one  of  them  ever  found 
“a  more  convenient  season”  after- 
ward. A few  who  expected  to  be  re- 
ceived were  put  off  for  the  time,  as 
they  gave  evidence  of  imperfect  views 
of  Christianity  or  of  unworthy  motives. 
It  was  determined  to  receive  seven 
persons  into  the.  Church  on  profession 
of  their  faith  the  next  day.  These 
consisted  of  the  old  shopkeeper  JNyim- 
pang,  a relative  of  his,  Yi  Loh-ding, 
the  keeper  of  the  village  school, 


SAN-POH. 


51 


Lo  Sih-peng,  the  fish- peddler,  and  his 
wife,  two  farmers  from  a neighbouring 
village  of  the  family  named  Du,  and 
a field-labourer  named  Z6ng-we,  from 
still  another  village. 

It  was  noised  abroad  among  the 
people  that  certain  religious  rites  or 
ceremonies  were  to  be  solemnized  the 
next  day  in  the  chapel,  and  curiosity 
drew  a large  audience  to  witness  them. 
The  house  which  we  had  rented  was 
the  principal  building  of  a large  family 
residence,  which  had  been  sold  on  ac- 
count of  poverty  induced  by  opium- 
smoking. It  was  now  owned  by  a 
wealthy  member  of  the  same  family, 
who  lived  in  another  part  of  the  vil- 
lage. By  taking  down  a partition  we 
were  provided  with  an  audience- room 
or  chapel  which  would  seat  more  than 

• 


52 


SAX-P0H. 


one  hundred  persons.  In  the  upper 
story  were  two  sleeping  apartments 
and  a large  room  occupied  by  a school 
taught  by  Zia’s  wife. 

Before  it  was  time  for  the  services 
to  commence  all  the  seats  in  the  chapel 
were  occupied,  and  the  courtyard  was 
filled  with  men  and  women,  who  were 
looking  in  at  the  doors  and  windows 
and  en&ao’ed  in  loud  conversation.  It 
was  difficult  to  know  how  to  proceed 
under  such  circumstances.  It  was 
important  on  this  first  visit  of  the 
foreign  teacher  to  establish  a precedent 
among  the  villagers  for  order  and  good 
behaviour;  as  well  as  to  preserve  that 
quiet  and  solemnity  which  were  neces- 
sary in  order  to  secure  the  pleasure 
and  profit  of  those  who  were  about  to 
take  upon  themselves  a Christian 


SAJST-POH. 


53 


profession.  I therefore  commenced 
with  an  introductory  address  to  the 
people,  aiming  at  removing  their  prej- 
udices, giving  them  a correct  idea  of 
the  exercises  in  which  we  were  about 
to  engage,  and  restoring  quiet  and 
order.  The  large  audience  gradually 
became  quiet  and  attentive,  and  con- 
ducted themselves  with  more  pro- 
priety than  I at  first  anticipated.  The 
service  appeared  to  have  a very  happy 
effect  on  all  who  witnessed  it.  The 
sacrament  of  baptism  in  the  name  of 
the  sacred  Trinity,  symbolizing  the 
washing  of  regeneration  and  the  renew- 
ing of  the  Holv  Grliost,  furnished  a 
topic  for  many  conversations  in 
heathen  homes.  So  of  the  Lord’s 
Supper.  The  people  were  very  curious 
to  know  what  it  was  which  was  eaten 

5 * 


54 


SAN-POH. 


and  drunk.  They  imagined  the  bread 
and  wine  to  be  some  mysterious 
medications,  which  would  have  a 
magical  effect  upon  the  minds  of  those 
who  partook  of  them.  This  sacrament 
was  fully  explained,  not  only  in  the 
service,  but  afterward  in  conversations 
of  the  native  Christians  with  their 
neighbours,  so  that  much  Christian 
instruction  was  imparted.  The  prac- 
ticability of  natives  becoming  Chris- 
tions  was  also  illustrated ; and  the  faith 
of  the  converts  was  confirmed  by 
taking  this  formal  step  and  entering 
into  this  everlasting  covenant.  It  is  a 
pleasure  to  add,  that  of  the  seven  who 
that  day  took  upon  themselves  these 
vows,  all  have  been  consistent  wit- 
nesses for  the  truth.  Five  are  still 
living:  two  have  “fallen  asleep.” 


CHAPTEK  III. 

THE  LEAVEN  WORKING. 

R.  ZIA  now  took  up  liis  home  in  the 


1TA  village  of  Siao-gyiao-deo  in  San- 
poli  as  a colporteur  or  native  assistant. 
He  was  diligent  in  improving  his 
opportunities  for  study,  and  progressed 
rapidly  in  his  knowledge  of  the  Scrip- 
tures and  in  facility  in  teaching  others. 
He  did  not  belong  to  the  literary  or 
educated  class  of  China,  though  he 
had  acquired  in  boyhood  a tolerable 
knowledge  of  books,  to  which  he  was 
constantly  adding  by  study.  He  felt 
a good  deal  of  diffidence  and  hesitation 


55 


56 


SAN-POH. 


in  taking  the  position  which  we  urged 
him  to  accept.  He  always  spoke  of 
himself  as  a plain  man,  and  made  no 
pretensions  to  scholarship,  professing 
only  to  teach  the  truth  which  he  be- 
lieved  and  loved  in  the  simple  lan- 
guage of  the  common  people.  Even 
literary  men,  however,  treated  him 
with  respect,  and  accorded  to  him  the 
title  of  Sin-Sang  or  teacher,  which  I 
shall  also  give  to  him  hereafter  in  this 
narrative.  The  manner  in  which  he 
was  regarded  by  all  who  knew  him 
strikingly  illustrated  the  important 
statement  of  our  Saviour,  “He  that 
humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted.” 
The  counsel  and  assistance  of  his  ex- 
cellent wife,  who  had  enjoyed  the 
advantages  of  several  years’  instruc- 
tion in  Miss  Aldersey’s  school,  were 


SAN-POH. 


57 


invaluable  to  him,  and  without  her 
co-operation  he  would  hardly  have 
been  equal  at  first  to  the  performance 
of  the  duties  of  his  new  station. 

From  this  time  it  was  my  habit  to 
visit  San-poh  every  two  or  three 
months.  The  object  and  character  of 
these  visits  may  be  gathered  from 
letters  which  I wrote  home  at  that 
time.  The  following  extract  from  a 
letter  dated  August  8, 1857  gives  some 
account  of  my  next  visit  to  Siao-gyiao- 
deo  in  company  with  the  native  elder 
Zia  Sin-Sang 

“We  reached  this  place  last  night 
after  a hot,  but  on  the  whole  not  un- 
pleasant, trip.  I find  the  people  all 
glad  to  see  me,  and  the  news  which  I 
am  permitted  to  hear  of  the  converts 
is  very  encouraging.  While  we  derive 


58 


SAN-POH. 


much  satisfaction  from  the  deportment 
of  those  who  have  been  received  into 
the  Church,  we  have  reason  to  be 
thankful  also  that  several  did  not 
enter  who  confidently  expected  to  do 
so.  Zia  is  ill  with  fever  and  ague. 
His  wife  is  very  well.  The  son  of  the 
fisherman  is  delighted  with  the  idea 
of  going  back  to  Ningpo  with  me  to 
attend  school.  He  just  came  up  and 
offered  to  go  and  get  a cloth  to  dust 
my  table.  I allowed  him  to  do  so, 
and  then  had  a conversation  with  him. 
He  seemed  very  much  disposed  to 
talk  on  the  subject  of  religion,  prob- 
ably because  he  thought  that  doing  so 
would  please  me.  When  he  told  me 
that  he  was  in  the  habit  of  praying,  I 
asked  him  what  he  prayed  for,  and  he 
repeated  a form  of  prayer  which  gave 


SAN-POH. 


59 


evidence  that  he  had  been  well  in- 
structed by  his  parents.  He  has  been 
accustomed  to  gather  sticks  or  brush 
from  the  hills  for  his  mother  to  use  in 
cooking,  and  seems  to  think  that  he 
will  be  very  much  missed.  When  I 
asked  what  she  would  do  without  him, 
he  replied,  ‘ Jing-ming  we  pao-yiu — ’ 
‘G-od  will  provide.’  He  stands  by 
me  while  I am  writing,  and  holds 
down  the  corners  of  my  sheet  when 
they  are  blown  up  by  the  south  breeze 
coming  in  at  the  window.  He  is  a 
very  interesting  boy  of  thirteen. 

“ Morning . It  is  a quiet,  cool  and 
beautiful  morning,  and  I will  spend  a 
little  leisure  which  I have  before 
breakfast  in  writing.  Yesterday  after- 
noon  I had  an  interesting  call  from 
the  proprietor  of  this  establishment. 


60 


SAX-POH. 


He  is  a man  of  wealth,  and  has  been  a 
business  man  and  a traveler.  He  is 
now  more  than  seventy  years  old,  and 
is  adding  to  the  infirmities  of  age  by 
opium-smoking.  He  came  with  three 
of  his  grandchildren — two  of  them 
beautiful  little  girls  about  twelve 
years  of  age,  and  the  other  a little  boy 
about  three.  The  old  gentleman  has 
great  simplicity  and  kindness  of  man- 
ner. Strange  to  say,  these  two  girls 
attend  Mrs.  Zia’s  school.  I was 
pleased  to  hear  the  old  man  call  upon 
the  little  boy  to  recite  the  first  part  of 
the  Christian  San-zKying  (rhymes  for 
children  in  sentences  of  three  syllables) 
which  he  had  learned  from  his  sisters. 
As  the  little  boy  hesitated,  the  grand- 
father repeated  over  the  first  few  lines 
for  him.  This  shows  how  the  in  flu- 


SAN-POH. 


61 


ence  of  the  school  and  of  the  chapel  is 
extending  into  the  families  of  the  vil- 
lage. After  a pleasant  talk  with  them, 
and  I had  given  them  a few  grapes 
which  I brought  with  me  from  Mngpo, 
they  left,  seeming  much  pleased  with 
the  call.  In  the  afternoon  I went 
down  into  the  village  to  call  upon  the 
old  shopkeeper,  and  say  a pleasant 
word  to  the  people  generally  in  the 
way  of  £ mong  mong  ’ (paying  my 
respects).  When  the  sun  was  nearly 
down  I took  a walk  to  the  nearest 
hills,  which  are  about  half  a mile  from 
our  hired  house.  They  are  covered  in 
part  with  small  pines,  and  afford  a 
fine  view  of  the  busy  plain  below,  cut 
up  by  a complete  network  of  canals, 
and  filled  with  almost  innumerable 
villages.  It  is  a great  relief  to  get 
6 


62 


SAN-POH. 


away  occasionally  from  the  crowds  of 
people,  and  enjoy  the  quiet  and  refresh- 
ment of  the  hill- top,  and  its  compara- 
tively pure  atmosphere.  In  the  even- 
ing a few  of  the  neighbours  assembled 
for  prayer.  Since  I commenced 
writing  the  fisherman’s  bov  has  again 
made  his  appearance.  He  takes  great 
pleasure  in  waiting  on  me,  as  I have 
no  servant,  and  is  just  coming  up 
stairs  with  my  breakfast,  which  con- 
sists of  rice  and  eggs.  I am  getting 
to  be  an  adept  in  the  use  of  chop- 
sticks. 

“ On  Sunday  an  unusually  large 
number  of  people  assembled  at  the 
morning  service,  though  it  was  in  the 
midst  of  rice-harvest.  Owing  to  a 
desire  to  get  forward  and  see,  the 
audience  was  very  noisy;  and  after 


SAN-POH. 


63 


trying  in  vain  for  some  to  bring  about 
such  a state  of  quiet  as  I determined 
should  be  obtained  before  proceeding, 
I stopped  the  service,  to  be  continued 
up  stairs,  inviting  all  who  wished  to 
attend  it  to  do  so,  except  children.  It 
was  rather  a bold  step  to  take  in  the 
country,  and  in  a hired  house  in  Chi- 
na, and  might  under  other  circum- 
stances have  ended  in  a confusion  and 
a mob,  but  the  people  acknowledged 
the  propriety  and  necessity  of  the 
step,  and  after  they  had  been  let  in 
one  by  one,  and  the  door  was  shut,  we 
had  a quiet,  pleasant  meeting  in  the 
large  upper  room.  There  were  no 
new  additions  to  the  Church,  but  I 
had  interesting  and  encouraging  con- 
versations with  the  church  members. 
I should  have  stayed  longer,  but  Zia 


64 


SAN-POH. 


was  taken  very  ill  with  a high  fever, 

0 7 

accompanied  with  alarming  symptoms. 
We  left  in  a hurry  at  5 p.  m.,  in  order 
to  put  him  under  medical  treatment 
as  soon  as  possible.  Before  yesterday 
morning  his  fever  left  him,  and  bis 
case  seemed  much  more  favourable. 
Yesterday  noon  the  flood- tide  met  us 
just  as  we  reached  the  quarries  at 
Da-Ying,  and  I found  a delightful  re- 
treat from  the  heat  in  visiting  the 
deep  excavations  in  the  hills  and 
stopping  in  the  shady  nooks  of  the 
rocks.  The  midday  heat  was  trying, 
but  the  night  was  cool  and  refreshing. 
As  it  was  moonlight,  I spent  much  of 
tbe  night  outside,  partly  for  the  sake 
of  urging  the  boatmen,  and  partly  to 
take  my  turn  with  them  at  the  scull, 
which  I enjoyed  much.  By  the  way, 


SAX-POH. 


65 


I am  becoming  somewhat  expert  at 
sculling,  and  it  requires  a strong 
native  boatman  to  outdo  me.  Last 
night,  after  getting  the  city  gate  open, 
and  helping  Zia  and  his  wife  to  their 
quarters  at  Mr.  Russell’s  house,  I 
reached  home  about  twelve  o’clock.  I 
am  glad  to  say  that  my  health  still 
continues  remarkably  good  for  sum- 
mer. I am  very  particular,  and  shall 
be,  to  avoid  all  unnecessary  exposure 
and  to  be  prudent  in  every  way,  and 
hope,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  to  escape 
serious  sickness.  To-day  it  is  very  hot, 
and  I am  most  happy  that  I reached 
home  when  I did.  I shall  now  have  no 
occasion  to  make  another  excursion  into 
the  country  until  cooler  weather.  The 
two  boys  whom  I brought  with  me 

from  San-poh  are  already  in  the 
6 * 


66 


SAX-POH. 


school  and  give  promise  of  becoming 
useful  men  in  the  future.” 

As  might  be  inferred  from  this 
letter,  the  climate  of  Ningpo  and  San- 
poh  is  far  from  being  healthful,  espe- 
cially in  summer.  To  say  nothing  of 
the  impure  air  occasioned  by  the 
dense  population,  who  do  not  give  that 
attention  to  drainage  and  cleanliness 
which  we  do,  nearly  the  whole  country 
is  flooded  with  water  for  the  purpose 
of  rice-culture,  and  the  malarious  ex- 
halations under  a summer  sun  cannot 
but  be  injurious.  Very  few  escape 
chills  and  fever  of  a very  severe  and 
stubborn  type.  I was  never  entirely 
free  from  it  for  about  five  years,  and 
more  than  once,  on  my  return  from 
these  excursions  to  San-poh,  after  the 
reaction  from  hard  labour  and  excite- 


SAN-POH. 


67 


ment.  I have  been  laid  aside  by  a 
severe  “shake”  and  the  fever  which 
follows  it.  In  such  cases  we  use 
quinine  freely,  which  is  almost  sure  to 
relieve  us  for  the  time. 

The  two  San -poll  boys  were,  I 
believe,  the  first  who  were  sent  to  the 
boys’  boardin  o’. school  bv  Christian 

*j  o 

families.  Previously,  the  most  of  our 
pupils  were  from  heathen  parents  and 
the  poorer  classes,  who  were  obtained 
by  holding  out  the  strong  inducement 
of  giving  them  a good  Chinese  educa- 
tion free  of  charge.  The  boys  are  first 
taken  on  trial  at  the  age  of  from  ten 
to  fourteen  years,  and  if  they  prove 
satisfactory  are  indentured  to  the 
school  until  they  are  about  twenty,  we 
supplying  them  with  food  and  cloth- 
ing, giving  them  thorough  instruction 


68 


SAN-POH. 


in  the  Christian  religion  as  well  as  in 
the  Chinese  classics,  and  having  the 
entire  charge  and  control  of  them.  A 
considerable  proportion  of  the  mem- 
bers of  this  school,  and  also  of  the 
girls’  boarding-school  have  become 
Christians,  and  now  form  the  principal 
part  of  our  earnest  and  efficient  native 
labourers.  The  fisherman’s  boy  lost 
his  health  not  long  after  he  entered 
the  school,  and  died,  we  trust,  a true 
believer  in  Jesus.  The  other  com- 
pleted the  term  of  his  indenture  and 
became  a good  scholar,  a consistent 
Christian  and  a promising  candidate 
for  the  ministry.  After  leaving  the 
school  he  taught  Christian  day-school 
in  one  of  the  villages  of  San-poh.* 


* I have  learned  since  writing  the  above  that  this 
voung  man  died  of  fever  in  the  summer  of  1868. 


SAN-POH. 


69 


The  reader  may  be  interested  in 
more  particulars  respecting  places  and 
persons  with  which  I became  fa- 
miliarly acquainted  in  my  frequent 
visits  to  San-poh.  I always  enjoyed 
meeting  with  old  Nylin-pang.  He 
must  have  been  at  that  time  near 
seventy  years  of  age,  and  was  some- 
what infirm.  The  people  are  not 
generally  as  long-lived  in  that  region 
as  they  are  with  us.  He  belonged  to 
the  Yi  family,  which  comprised  most 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  village.  His 
given  name  was  Ah-nyiin,  so  that  his 
full  name,  speaking  accurately,  should 
have  been  Yi  Ah-nyiin.  But  he  was 
familiarily  called  by  all  the  villagers, 
among  whom  he  seemed  to  have  been 
quite  a favourite,  Nyiin-pang,  “Old 
Uncle  Nyiin,”  and  by  that  name  I 


70 


SAN-POH. 


always  called  him.  The  name  of  the 
village,  Siao-gyiao-deo,  means  Small 
Bridge  Head.  It  is  taken  from  an 
arched  bridge  which  crosses  the  canal  in 
about  the  centre  of  the  village,  which 
is  rather  a small  and  straggling  one. 

JNy  tin -pang’s  shop  was  near  the 
bridge.  It  occupied  a strip  of  ground 
about  eight  feet  wide  and  twenty  feet 
long,  one  end  of  it  being  on  the  street 
and  the  other  on  the  canal  just  back. 
The  half  toward  the  canal  was  his 
sleeping-room.  The  little  shop  on  the 
street  was,  I suppose,  pretty  well  filled 
before  JSytin-pang  became  a Christian, 
when  he  sold  tinsel  paper  and  incense 
for  idol-worship.  But  now  it  seemed 
very  scantily  supplied.  He  sold  tur- 
nips, sweet  potatoes  and  fresh  and 
salt  fish.  His  whole  stock  in  trade 


SAN-POH. 


71 


was  not  worth  more  than  twenty 
dollars.  At  night  he  slept  in  his 
single  bed  just  on  the  side  of  the 
canal,  but  had  become  so  accustomed, 
I suppose,  to  the  noise  of  the  boats 
and  boatmen,  which  were  constantly 
passing,  that  he  hardly  noticed  them. 
His  wife  had  been  dead  for  many 
years.  He  took  his  meals  with  his 
son,  who  at  first  was  disposed  to  be  a 
Christian,  but  afterward  joined  with 
his  wife  in  opposition  to  what  they 
generally  spoke  of  as  the  foreigners’  re- 
ligion. Ny  fin-pang,  though  poor,  was 
habitually  contented  and  happy,  and 
seemed  almost  unconscious  of  a want 
unsupplied.  His  little  shop  was  a 
favourite  place  of  resort  for  old  men 
like  himself,  and  others  who  had 
leisure  to  visit  him,  and  he  always 


72 


SAX-POH. 


had  a pleasant  word  for  every  one. 
For  years  before  we  visited  San-poh 
he  had  had  the  reputation  of  being  a 
religious  person,  according  to  the 
Chinese  idea  of  the  term.  He  was 
careful  to  attend  to  all  the  idolatrous 
service  practiced  by  his  j)eople;  he 
always  picked  up  scraps  of  printed 
paper  to  keep  them  from  being 
trampled  upon  or  soiled:  was  careful 
not  to  use  improper  and  immoral 
language,  and  exhorted  others  to  lead 
a virtuous  life,  as  he  tried  to  do  him- 
self. It  seemed  as  if  he  and  several 
of  the  other  converts  were  a “people 
prepared  for  the  Lord,”  and  as  soon 
as  the  Saviour  spoke  to  them  through 
his  revealed  word,  they  heard  his 
voice  and  followed  him. 

I wondered  sometimes  how  Nyiin- 


SAN-POH. 


73 


pang  had  acquired  so  much  Christian 
knowledge,  as  he  could  not  read,  and 
very  often  went  to  sleep  during  our 
public  services.  I found,  however,  in 
conversation  with  him  that  he  was 
very  familiar  with  the  plan  of  salva- 
tion, the  general  outline  of  Bible 
history,  the  most  common  arguments 
with  which  to  meet  native  opposers 
and  objectors,  and  could  quote  very 
aptly  many  passages  from  the  Bible 
and  the  hymn-book.  It  was  evident 
that  the  native  preachers  had  been 
faithful  in  instructing  him,  and  also 
that  he  had  been  taught  of  God.  It 
was  a treat  which  I always  looked 
forward  to  with  pleasure  to  have  a 
quiet  talk  with  Nyiin-pang  when  all 
the  services  of  the  Sabbath  were  over, 
and  others  had  retired  to  their  homes 

7 


74 


BAN-POH. 


after  evening  worship.  At  such  times 
his  face  was  animated,  his  tall  form 
would  straighten  and  he  would  show 
something  of  the  fire  and  enthusiasm 
of  earlier  years  while  he  spoke  of  his 
faith  and  his  hopes  and  his  joys.  He 
seemed  as  much  attached  to  his  old 
rookery  of  a shop  as  any  king  to  his 
palace.  “Oh!”  said  he,  “I  am  so 
happy  down  by  the  bridge ! I go  to 
bed  at  night  and  get  under  my  ‘com- 
fortable ’ and  then  spread  over  me 
my  old  fur  coat,  and  tie  it  to  my  finger 
by  a string  lest  some  thief  should  take 
it  away  from  me  in  the  night;  and  I 
think  of  Christ  and  of  heaven.  One 
night  in  my  dreams  two  angels  ap- 
peared to  me.  I saw  them  distinctly, 
and  they  spoke  to  me  words  of  love 
and  consolation.  I said  to  them,  Yes, 


SAN-POH. 


75 


I belong  to  the  same  king  with  you, 
and  I too  will  soon  be  absent  from  the 
body  and  present  with  the  Lord.”  I 
said  to  him  one  evening  “ Nyiin-pang, 
when  you  think  of  the  goodness  of 
God  in  sparing  your  life  to  hear  and 
believe  in  the  gospel,  and  of  the  happi- 
ness in  store  for  you  in  heaven,  do  you 
not  feel  like  saying  as  Simeon  of  old 
did,  ‘Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant 
depart  in  peace,  for  mine  eyes  have 
seen  thy  salvation?’  ” He  paused  a 
moment  as  if  to  interpret  his  own  feel- 
ings, and  then  replied,  “No  no — I 
want  to  do  something  yet  for  Christ. 
I cannot  do  much,  but  there  are  some 
women  who  come  to  my  shop  to  buy 
turnips,  and  I can  speak  to  them.  I 
want  to  see  the  glory  of  God  dis- 
played in  this  village.  I want  to 


76 


SAX-POH. 


labour  for  the  conversion  of  my 
countrymen.  Tso  not  yet,  not  yet.” 

The  fisherman,  or  rather  fisli-ped- 
dler,  Lo-Sih  peng,  or,  as  he  was  more  fa- 
miliarly called,  Yia-lse  was  also  a rather 
interesting  character.  He  frequently 
visited  me  at  Yingpo  before  his 
baptism,  and  thought  nothing  of  walk- 
ing across  the  hills  in  one  day,  a dis- 
tance of  about  forty  miles,  and  going 
back  the  next  day.  It  was  his  habit 
to  rise  very  early  in  the  morning,  and 
go  to  some  of  the  neighbouring  villages 
to  buy  fish  of  the  fishermen,  and  then 
he  would  spend  the  day  selling  them 
from  village  to  village  and  from  house 
to  house.  With  his  burden  in  two 
baskets,  one  suspended  from  each  end 
of  a pole  resting  on  his  shoulder,  his 
coarse  straw  hat,  bare  legs  and  straw 


SAN-POH. 


77 


sandals,  he  appeared  outwardly  like 
other  men  of  his  class.  He  soon  be- 
came known,  however,  as  altogether 
different — as  a believer  in  and  a 
preacher  of  the  religion  of  Jesus,  and 
his  preaching  has  not  been  in  vain. 
Months  before  he  was  baptized  he  had 
established  in  his  home  the  family 
altar,  and  there  he  and  his  wife  and 
two  children  together  bowed  in  prayer 
to  God.  He  was  a man  of  a very 
active  and  inquiring  mind,  and  took 
great  delight  in  devoting  his  leisure 
hours  to  study,  and  made  rapid  pro- 
gress not  only  in  Christian  knowledge, 
but  also  in  general  reading  and  in- 
formation. 

I will  not  take  time  to  speak  of  the 
interesting  traits  of  character  belong- 
ing to  other  converts,  nor  of  the 

7 *- 


78 


SAN-POH. 


various  trials  and  temptations  to 
which  they  were  all  more  or  less 
subject. 

Extracts  from  another  letter  relat- 
ing to  my  next  visit  to  San-poh,  in 
which  I was  again  accompanied  by 
Elder  Zi,  will  give  a view  of  other 
labours  and  experiences  there.  It  is 
dated  JS’ingpo,  October  31,  1857 : 

“When  I last  wrote  you,  near  to 
two  weeks  ago,  I was  just  starting  for 
San-poh.  I reached  that  place  last 
week,  Friday  morning.  Friday  and 
Saturday  I spent  in  the  immediate 
vicinity.  On  Sunday  I administered 
the  sacrament  of  the  Lord’s  Supper. 
We  had  a delightful  day.  I am  glad 
to  say  that  we  still  have  reason  to  re- 
joice over  every  one  who  has  been 
admitted  to  the  Church,  and  that  they 


SAN-POH. 


79 


all  show  evidence  of  increasing  faith 
and  knowledge.  In  the  evening  I en- 
joyed very  much  a long  conversation 
with  some  of  them  on  the  grace  of  God 
and  the  prospects  of  the  future. 

“ The  next  three  days  were  spent  in 
a very  interesting  and  encouraging 
trip  in  the  western  part  of  San-poh.  I 
have  seldom  addressed  as  attentive 
and  interesting  audiences.  I was  sur- 
prised to  find  so  many  large  and 
flourishing  towns  and  such  multitudes 
of  smaller  villages.  I have  not  time 
to  notice  all  the  places  visited  or  all 
the  incidents  met  with  in  our  route. 
After  passing  an  old  walled  city 
during  the  first  day,  we  arrived  at 
night  at  a large  town.  It  was  already 
dark,  hut  I went  on  shore  to  acquaint 
the  inhabitants  of  my  presence,  and 


80 


SAN-POH. 


tell  them  that  I would  talk  to  them 
after  supper.  A crowd  soon  assembled, 
and  I had  the  boat  stationed  at  a con- 
venient place  near  the  shore,  and 
addressed  the  people  from  it.  It  was 
a bright  moonlight  night,  and  I spoke 
for  more  than  an  hour  to  a large 
audience,  who  seemed  exceedingly  at- 
tentive and  interested. 

“ The  next  night  we  reached  another 
old  walled  city  near  the  Hang-chow 
bay,  almost  concealed  among  the  hills. 
We  arrived  early  enough  to  visit  one 
of  the  principal  temples  before  evening, 
and  promised  to  come  out  again  to 
speak  to  the  people  after  supper.  I re- 
quested them  to  name  a place  for 
meeting,  and  they  suggested  the  four 
corners,  where  the  principal  streets  of 
the  city  meet.  Zi  being  aware  that 


SAN-POH. 


81 


he  would  be  of  no  use  in  such  a crowd 
as  he  knew  would  congregate,  re- 
mained in  the  boat.  On  reaching  the 
place  appointed,  I found  an  audience 
assembled,  and  heard  as  I approached 
that  they  were  wondering  whether  I 
would  come  or  not.  As  soon  as  it  was 
known  that  I had  arrived,  the  people 
gathered  from  all  quarters,  and  I had 
a very  large  audience.  Though  they 
were  as  quiet  as  could  be  expected  of 
such  a crowd,  and  indeed  as  quiet  as 
they  could  be,  I was  obliged  to  desist 
before  I had  spoken  as  long  as  I 
wished,  for  fear  of  injuring  my  throat. 
It  is  our  desire  to  have  this  district, 
and  others  as  well,  gone  over  by  the 
native  assistants.  Zia  and  Loh-ding 
are  engaged  in  San-poh ; Shih-nyiao 
and  Ling-yiu  are  in  the  vicinity  of  the 


82 


SAN-POH. 


lakes;  Lu  and  Vong-ching  start  to- 
morrow for  Mao-san;  Zi  stays  for  a 
few  days  in  the  school.  We  are 
about  making  several  changes  in  the 
mission : First,  establishing  a plan 
of  itinerations  and  col  portage  to  be 
carried  on  by  the  natives;  second, 
determining  upon  a system  of  ex- 
aminations to  be  sustained  by  boys  in 
our  school  before  they  can  be  employed 
by  us  as  teachers ; and  third,  fixing  the 
qualifications  and  examinations  to  be 
required  of  candidates  for  licensure, 
and  taking  those  who  wish  to  become 
native  preachers  regularly  under  the 
care  of  the  presbytery.  I hope  these 
plans  will  severally  prove  very  useful 
in  preparing  the  native  evangelists  for 
their  work.” 


CHAPTER  IV. 


CONVERTS  INCREASING. 

/ATHER  inquirers  applied  for  ad- 
^ mission  into  the  church  at  Siao- 
gyiao-deo,  and  among  them  an  old 
woman  in  whom  I was  much  inter- 
ested. She  had  spent  many  years  in 
laying  up  merit,  and  preparing  for 
death  and  a future  state  of  existence, 
according  to  the  methods  practiced  by 
idolaters  in  that  part  of  the  country. 
The  Buddhist  priests  tell  the  women 
who  come  to  their  temples  that  when 
they  die  their  souls  will  go  to  the  land 
of  spirits,  and  there  wander  about 

83 


84 


SAN-POH. 


perhaps  for  ages;  and  that  while  in 
that  place  they  will  require  a great 
deal  of  money  to  pay  their,  expenses 
for  lodgings,  travelling  and  making 
presents  to  the  officers  who  preside 
over  those  regions.  The  priests  offer 
to  sell  bank  bills  to  those  who  come 
to  their  temples  to  worship,  for  which, 
they  say,  real  money  will  be  paid  in 
the  land  of  spirits.  So  the  poor 
women  buy  these  paper  bills,  on  each 
of  which  is  printed  a promise  to  pay 
the  one  who  holds  it  one  thousand 
pieces  of  silver  in  the  future  state. 
When  the  money  is  paid  to  the  priest 
for  one  of  these  pieces  of  paj>er,  it  is 
signed  and  stamped  with  the  great 
seal  of  the  temple.  The  women  are 
also  informed  that  to  make  this  money 
really  valuable  they  must  chant  over 


SAN-POH. 


85 


it  the  name  of  the  god  they  worship 
three  thousand  times.  This  name  is 
in  their  dialect  Na  mi  o mi  da  veh , a 
title  of  the  goddess  Buddha.  So  the 
women,  after  choosing  a place  in  the 
temple  in  front  of  a large  image  of  the 
god,  and  burning  incense  and  prostra- 
ting themselves  in  worship,  commence 
chanting  Na-mi  o-mi-da  veil , JSfa-mi  o- 
mi-da  veh , as  fast  as  their  lips  can  pro- 
nounce the  syllables.  It  requires  a 
large  part  of  the  day  to  repeat  this 
name  so  many  times  as  are  deemed 
necessary.  It  is  to  such  ceremonies 
as  these  that  our  Saviour  refers  when 
he  speaks  of  the  “vain  repetitions  of 
the  heathen.”  These  women  no  doubt 
feel  that  they  have  been  doing  a good 
work  as  they  go  home  at  night  carry- 
ing with  them  these  worthless  bills ; 

8 


86 


SAN-POH. 


and  as  they  accumulate  month  after 
month  and  year  after  year,  and  are 
carefully  deposited  in  a safe  used  for 
this  purpose,  the  possessors  of  them 
regard  themselves  as  very  rich.  When 
the  owner  of  these  fancied  treasures 
dies  the  paper  is  burned,  and  is  sup- 
posed to  pass  through  the  flames  to 
the  spirit  land. 

The  person  of  whom  I am  speaking 
had  collected  a large  quantity  of  this 
paper  money,  and  on  this  account  was 
almost  envied  by  her  neighbours.  She 
was  also  kind  and  pleasing  in  her 
manners,  and  a general  favourite. 
Most  persons  of  her  class  are  so  proud 
of  their  pious  lives  (for  they  are 
generally  regarded  as  such  by  theii 
neighbours),  and  of  their  stores  of 
merit,  that  they  are  indisposed  to 


SAtf-POH. 


87 


listen  to  any  new  doctrines,  and  un- 
willing to  be  convinced  that  all  this 
paper  wealth  is  useless.  This  was  not 
the  case,  however,  with  Mao-dong 
Ah-m.  As  soon  as  she  heard  of  the  love 
of  the  Saviour  and  the  way  of  salva- 
tion through  him,  her  heart  seemed 
opened,  as  was  Lydia’s  when  St.  Paul 
preached  to  her,  to  receive  the  gospel. 
She  was  soon  convinced  of  the  truth 
of  Christianity,  and  determined  to  re- 
ject every  other  dependence  and  trust 
in  Christ  alone.  She  now  looked  upon 
her  safe  full  of  papers  as  so  much 
worthless  trash,  and  determined  that 
it  should  be  immediately  destroyed. 
No  more  conclusive  evidence  could 
have  been  given  of  the  sincerity  of  her 
belief  in  Christianity.  Her  neighbours 
expostulated  wdth  her.  They  said  it 


88 


SAX-POH. 


was  a great  pity  recklessly  to  throw 
away  what  she  had  laboured  for  for  a 
lifetime.  When  they  found  that  her 
mind  was  fully  made  up,  they  insisted 
that  if  she  did  not  wish  these  bills  her- 
self, she  should  give  them  to  others 
who  would  value  them.  This  she  re- 
fused to  do,  as  she  said  that  they 
should  never  be  the  means  of  deceiv- 
ing others  as  they  had  her;  and  in  the 
presence  of  many  of  the  villagers  all 
the  papers  were  burned  to  ashes.  As 
she  was  almost  blind,  she  asked  her 
son  to  be  present,  and  see  that  not  one 
bill  should  be  overlooked  or  appro- 
priated by  others. 

On  one  of  my  visits  to  San-poh  it 
was  expected  that  Mao-dong  Ah-m 
would  be  received  into  the  church. 
She  came  to  me,  however,  with  this 


SAN-POH. 


89 


story.  Said  she,  “I  wish  you  to  defer 
my  baptism  till  you  come  again,  for  a 
few  days  ago  I committed  a great 
fault,  for  which  I am  very  sorry.  I 
met  with  several  of  my  old  friends 
and  companions  coming  home  from 
the  temple,  where  they  had  been 
worshipping,  and,  as  I felt  kindly 
toward  them,  I said,  ‘ Yes  you  are  en- 
gaged in  a good  work;  you  too  are 
preparing  for  a future  world!’  I did 
not  think  what  I was  saying  at  the 
time,  but  I know  I did  wrong.  I 
countenanced  and  encouraged  them  in 
believing  and  practicing  idolatry.  I 
should  have  spoken  to  them  of  Christ 
and  of  the  better  way.”  Agreeably  to 
her  request,  her  baptism  was  deferred 
till  I should  come  again.  But  before 

my  next  visit  she  had  been  called 

8 * 


90 


SAN-POH. 


away  from  earth,  to  he,  as  I trust, 
with  Christ. 

A few  more  persons  were  added  to 
the  Church  in  Siao-gyiao-deo,  hut  as 
there  were  more  inquirers  in  a village 
a few  miles  distant,  called  Pah-z-gyiao, 
Zia  Sin-sang  removed  to  that  place, 
where  he  established  himself  in 
another  hired  house.  This  small  vil- 
lage contains  about  the  same  number 
of  inhabitants  as  Siao-gyiao-deo — I 
should  think  from  six  to  eight 
hundred.  It  derives  its  name  also 
from  one  of  its  bridges,  on  which  you 
may  read,  in  large  characters,  Pah-z- 
gyiao,  “Eight-Letter  Bridge,”  or  the 
bridge  which  looks  like  the  letter 
eight.  In  this  place,  too,  a prophet’s 
chamber  was  assigned  to  me  in  the 
upper  story.  It  was  the  best  un- 


SAN-POH. 


91 


occupied  room  the  house  afforded,  hut 
was  sometimes  so  full  of  smoke  when 
they  were  cooking  below  that  I could 
hardly  keep  my  eyes  open. 

Among  the  inquirers  there,  were 
two  brothers  from  a neighbouring  vil- 
lage belonging  to  the  Zi  family.  The 
given  name  of  the  older  one,  who  was 
by  trade  a sharpener  of  millstones, 
was  Ching-uong.  The  name  of  the 
other,  who  was  a tailor,  was  Ching-lin. 
I remember  very  well  their  examina- 
tion as  candidates  for  baptism.  The 
tailor,  Ching-lin,  was  so  hesitating  and 
unsatisfactory  in  his  replies  that  I 
would  hardly  have  been  willing  to 
share  in  the  responsibility  of  receiving 
him  into  the  Church,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  testimony  of  the  natives,  who 
were  much  better  acquainted  with  him 


than  I was.  I learned  afterward  that 
his  hesitating  manner  arose  from 
natural  diffidence  and  partial  deaf- 
ness. I felt  very  anxious  about 
Ching-lin  on  two  accounts.  He  had’ 
no  shop,  hut  went  from  house  to 
house  and  family  to  family,  as  he 
could  find  employment.  It  was  feared 
that  his  old  patrons  would  cast  him 
off,  on  account  of  his  being  a Christian 
and  ceasing  from  work  every  seventh 
day,  thus  leaving  him  without  the 
means  of  supporting  his  family.  There 
was  still  another  cause  of  anxiety. 
Tailors  in  China  are  remarkable  for  a 
custom  which  is  almost  if  not  quite 
universal,  called  Loh j)u — “take  off 
from  the  cloth.”  Their  wages  are  so 
low  that  it  is  said  that  they  could  not 
live  without  purloining  a little.  Ching- 


SAN-POH. 


93 


lin  knew  very  well  before  he  united 
with  the  Church  what  the  Bible  re- 
quires as  regards  the  observance  of 
the  Sabbath  and  strict  honesty  and 
truthfulness.  Time  could  alone  de- 
termine whether  he  would  resist  the 
temptations  to  which  he  was  exposed 
and  preserve  his  Christian  integrity. 
We  were  delighted  to  find  in  the 
course  of  a few  months  that  his  busi- 
ness was  increasing,  rather  than 
diminishing,  and  that  he  had  proved 
in  his  own  experience  that  “ godliness 
is  profitable  in  all  things,  having  the 
promise  of  the  life  which  now  is  and 
of  that  which  is  to  come.”  Those  who 
employed  him  found  that  he  could 
make  a garment  out  of  a smaller 
pattern  than  other  tailors  could,  and 
that  his  word  could  be  depended  upon. 


94 


SAN-POH. 


It  was  well  known  that  he  always 
observed  the  Sabbath,  and  when  he 
made  his  engagements  it  was  generally 
understood  when  the  Li-jpa  nyih , or 
“worship  day,”  would  occur.  His 
business  was  for  the  most  part  in 
wealthy  heathen  families.  He  was 
often  asked  by  his  employers  to  Kong 
dao  li — “talk  the  doctrine.”  Thus,  like 
the  disciples  in  early  times,  Ching-lin 
went  everywhere  preaching  the  word. 
What  he  may  have  accomplished  in 
other  places  I cannot  tell,  but  his 
faithful  efforts  in  his  own  family  were 
soon  followed  by  the  happiest  results. 
It  was  not  long  before  he  brought  his 
wife  and  his  mother  with  him  to  the 
chapel,  and  they  both  became  regular 
and  devout  worshippers. 

Another  of  the  converts  of  the  vil- 


SAN-POH. 


95 


lage  originally  belonged  to  the  Wu  wei 
Jciao , or  “Do-nothing  religion,”  de- 
scribed in  the  first  chapter.  His 
name  is  Kae-fong.  He  worked  at  a 
number  of  different  trades,  all  of 
which  required  him  to  go  about  from 
house  to  house.  He  was  an  earnest 
and  intelligent  man,  and  everywhere 
exerted  a decided  influence  for  good. 

In  the  course  of  a few  months  the 
fish-peddler,  Yia-lse,  reported  a man 
living  near  the  city  of  Fu-San  in  the 
little  village  Yih-ko,  “the  Yih  family,” 
with  whom  he  had  had  several  con- 
versations relating  to  Christianity, 
and  who  was  diligently  studying 
Christian  books.  He  belonged  to  the 
Yih  family,  which  gave  its  name  to  the 
village — was  in  very  good  circum- 
stances, much  respected,  and  the 


96 


SAX-POH. 


teacher  of  the  village  school.  This 
man  became  a decided  Christian,  is 
now  an  elder  in  our  church  and  an 
earnest  and  efficient  preacher.  His 
village  has  become  one  of  our  out- 
stations,  and  the  chapel  or  room  for 
worship  is  in  his  house. 

In  the  mean  time,  converts  whom  I 
need  not  mention  particularly  were 
added  in  other  places,  and  those  who 
were  received  at  first  were  constantly 
increasing  in  knowledge  and  influ- 
ence. 

In  the  autumn  of  1858  my  old 
friend  JSTyiin-pang  visited  Ningpo  and 
stopped  several  days  at  my  house. 
While  there  a rather  amusing  incident 
occurred,  which  I will  relate.  Mr. 
Gamble,  the  superintendent  of  our 
press,  had  lately  arrived  from  Xew 


SAN-POH. 


97 


York,  and  was  living  with  us.  He 
occupied  as  a study  a room  on  the 
lower  floor,  one  door  of  which  opened 
into  a back  yard,  in  which  were  a 
number  of  tall  shade  trees.  We  had 
heard  of  thieves  visiting  other  places 
in  the  neighbourhood,  and  were  on 
the  alert  to  watch  for  them  in  case 
they  should  come  to  our  house.  One 
evening  between  eight  and  nine  o’clock, 
as  Mr.  Gamble  suddenly  opened  his 
door,  his  feet  struck  some  object  on 
the  door- sill.  Stooping  down  imme- 
diately, he  found  a man  crouching 
below  him.  Seizing  him  by  the  queue 
he  led  him  through  his  room  into  the 
court,  and  bringing  him  before  the 
lamp  which  was  burning  there,  he 
recognized  the  smiling  face  of  our 
guest  Nyun-pang.  Mr.  Gamble  not 


98 


SAN-POH. 


having  learned  the  language,  they 
could  not  communicate  with  each 
other.  The  scene  ended  by  his  letting- 
go  of  Nyiin- pang’s  queue,  grasping 
his  hand,  and  giving  him  a fraternal 
shake,  while  both  burst  out  into  a 
hearty  laugh.  When  I went  the  next 
time  to  San-poh,  I asked  Nyiin -pang 
how  this  encounter  between  him  and 
Mr.  Gamble  happened.  Said  he,  “I 
was  very  tired  that  night  and  wished 
to  retire  to  rest.  It  was  too  early  for 
evening  prayers,  as  the  servants  had 
not  finished  their  work.  So  I was 
looking  about  for  a quiet  place  to  say 
my  prayers  by  myself.  Walking  in 
the  back  yard  under  the  trees,  I 
thought  to  myself,  This  place  is  like 
the  one  where  Jesus  saw  Nathaniel 
under  the  fig  tree,  and  I had  just 


SAN-P0H. 


99 


kneeled  down  on  the  steps  in  the 
recess  of  the  door  when  Mr.  Gamble 
opened  it.” 

On  the  3d  of  December,  1860,  Nylin  - 
pang  fell  asleep  in  Jesns.  The  little 
shop  by  the  bridge  was  left  tenantless, 
while  angels  carried  another  sanctified 
spirit  to  its  place  in  the  mansions  of 
heaven.  Another  sheaf  fully  ripe  was 
gathered  into  the  garner  of  our  Lord, 
a part  of  the  first  fruits  of  San-poh. 
No  idolatrous  rites  solemnized  his 
funeral,  no  noisy  procession  followed 
his  body  to  its  last  resting-place.  A 
few  Christian  men  silently  conveyed 
him  to  his  burial,  and  loving  hands 
laid  him  in  his  simple  and  lonely 
grave. 

Nyiin-pang’s  son  and  his  son’s  wife, 
notwithstanding  the  example  and  ex- 


100 


SAN-POH. 


hor  tat  ions  of  their  father,  and  their 
professions  at  one  time  of  respect  for 
and  belief  in  Christianity,  gave  them- 
selves up  to  the  idolatry  and  supersti- 
tion of  their  people.  A few  months 
after  their  father’s  death,  the  wife 
visited  a female  “medium  ” who  pro- 
fessed to  communicate  with  the  spirits 
of  the  departed,  in  order  to  gain 
tidings  of  the  state  of  her  father-in- 
law’s  soul.  The  response  was,  that 
Ayiin-pang,  in  consequence  of  his 
having  renounced  the  religion  of  his 
ancestors,  and  adopted  that  of  for- 
eigners, was  denied  entrance  into  the 
ancestral  temple  and  participation  in 
the  sacrifices  which  were  there  offered, 
and  was  wandering  about  a poor 
houseless,  homeless,  starving  ghost! 

Nyiin-pang  was  taken  away  from 


SA^-POH. 


101 


the  evil  to  come.  Not  long  after  his 
death,  the  Tai-ping  rebels  invaded  the 
eastern  part  of  the  Chekiang  province, 
and  their  progress  was  everywhere 
marked  by  desolated  fields,  burned 
villages  and  the  wanton  destruction 
of  human  life.  Most  of  our  out- 
stations  were  visited,  and  many  of  our 
native  Christians  suffered  much.  One 
of  the  elders,  Yi  Loh-ding,  and  the 
school  teacher  at  Siao-gyiao-deo, 
Dzing  Sin-sang,  were  carried  away  as 
captives  and  have  not  been  heard  of 
since.  It  is  most  probable  that  they 
have  perished  from  want  or  violence. 
Yih  Sin-sang  was  attacked  and  badly 
wounded,  and  left  on  the  ground  as 
dead,  but  he  recovered,  and  is  still 
labouring  at  his  post  at  Yih-ko.  The 
tailor,  Zi  Ching-lin,  was  also  captured, 

9 * 


102 


SAN-POH. 


and  obliged  to  follow  the  rebel  army 
to  the  city  of  Yii-yiao.  There  they 
learned  that  he  was  a good  tailor,  and 
offered  to  give  him  a prominent  and 
lucrative  position.  In  plundering 
shops  and  the  residences  of  men  of 
wealth  they  had  possessed  themselves 
of  a great  deal  of  booty,  including 
large  quantities  of  silk  and  satin. 
These  goods  they  made  up  into  rich 
and  gaudy  garments,  not  only  for 
their  officers,  but  even  for  the  boys 
who  followed  the  army,  some  of  whom 
surpassed  the  men  in  their  propensity 
to  rob  and  murder.  Ching-lin  was 
required  to  take  the  charge  of  a 
company  of  tailors,  and  cut  oilt  and 
superintend  their  work,  a large 
quantity  of  costly  material  being 
placed  in  his  hands.  He  informed 


SAN-POH. 


103 


his  captors  that  he  was  willing  to 
work,  hut  was  a Christian  and  always 
observed  every  seventh  day  as  a day 
of  rest,  to  be  devoted  to  religious 
purposes.  They  told  him  that  there 
would  be  no  difficulty  about  that,  as 
they  were  also  Christians  and  observed 
the  Sabbath.  It  is  true  that  they  had 
learned  and  adopted  a form  of  Chris- 
tianity, though  a very  corrupt  one,  and 
did  observe  every  seventh  day  as  a 
Sabbath.  Ching-lin  told  them,  however, 
that  their  Sabbath  did  not  correspond 
with  his,  as  it  occurred  on  our  Satur- 
day. They  were  very  angry  at  him 
for  being,  as  they  said,  so  “impertinent 
and  self-willed,”  and  threatened  to  kill 
him.  But  when  they  found  that  he 
would  only  do  their  work  on  his  own 
terms,  they  yielded  entirely  to  his 


104 


SAN-POH. 


wishes,  and  he  was  allowed  to  observe 
his  own  Sabbath  in  his  own  way.  In 
the  course  of  a few  weeks  or  months 
the  rebels  were  driven  out  of  the  city 
by  Imperialist  soldiers,  their  booty 
was  left  behind  and  their  captives 
escaped.  Ching-lin  returned  to  his 
native  village  dressed  in  the  same 
homespun  cotton  suit  in  which  he  was 
captured,  and  having  in  his  possession 
not  a single  remembrance  of  the 
trying  scenes  through  which  he  had 

t/  O O 

passed. 

Zia  Sin-sang  was  in  Isingpo  at  this 
time,  and  was  also  captured  by  the 
rebels,  as  were  several  other  native 
Christians  there.  They  were,  however, 
with  a good  deal  of  trouble  and 
personal  risk,  sought  out  by  the 
foreign  missionaries,  and  through  their 


SAX-POH. 


105 


influence  released  and  allowed  to  re- 
turn to  their  homes. 

Notwithstanding  the  confusion  and 
distress  consequent  upon  the  Tai-ping 
invasion,  and  the  partial  suspension 
for  a time  of  missionary  labour  in 
San-poh,  the  number  of  converts  and 
inquirers  gradually  increased,  and  the 
influence  of  the  native  church  extended 
to  more  distant  villages. 

Among  the  most  important  off- 
shoots from  the  San-poh  station  is  the 
one  at  the  city  of  Yii-yiao,  about 
twenty  miles  from  the  village  of  Siao- 
gyiao-deo,  and  that  much  nearer  to 
Ningpo.  The  first  convert  from  that 
place  was  a native  physician,  who  was 
received  into  the  Church  at  Siao-gyiao- 
deo  not  long  after  the  establishment 
of  our  station  there.  Some  time  after- 


106 


SAN-POH. 


ward,  a carpenter  from  Yu-yiao  was 
baptized,  and  through  his  influence  a 
man  named  Zi  Da-ching,  a prisoner  in 
the  city  prison  was  converted  to  Chris- 
tianity. Da-ching,  as  we  familiarly 
called  him,  was  imprisoned  from  no 
fault  of  his  own,  hut  in  the  place  of 
another  man  who  was  the  real  culprit, 
and  paid  to  Da-ching’s  family  a con- 
siderable sum  of  money  to  induce  him 
to  become  a substitute.  On  account 
of  the  character  which  he  acquired  in 
the  prison,  he  was  made  a kind  of  in- 
ferior officer  in  it.  The  carpenter 
Dzing  being  frequently  employed  in 
this  place  to  do  work,  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  conversing  with  those  con- 
fined there,  and  manv  became  inter- 
ested  listeners,  but  Da-ching  alone 
made  an  open  profession  0f  his  faith 


SAN-POH. 


107 


and  united  with  the  Church.  As  he 
was  never  allowed  to  leave  the  prison, 
he  was  baptized  within  its  walls, 
several  of  the  native  Christians  being 
present.  When  the  rebels  took  the 
city,  all  the  prisoners  were  released. 
Da-ching  married  and  settled  in  one 
of  the  villages  of  San-poh  called  Mo- 
in-deo,  where  he  sustained  the 
character  of  an  earnest  Christian. 
His  village  has  become  another  out- 
station. 

In  1863,  one  of  our  native  preachers 
Kying  Ling-yiu,  was  sent  to  the  city 
of  Yii-yiao  to  labour  there,  and 
endeavour  to  build  up  another  station 
in  connection  with  the  four  native 
Christians  in  that  place  who  were 
then  members  of  the  San-poh  church. 
This  young  evangelist  was  educated 


108 


SAX-POH. 


in  the  boys’  boarding-school.  He  was 
a man  full  of  zeal  and  energy,  fa- 
miliarly acquainted  with  the  Scrip- 
tures, an  eloquent  speaker  and  apt  to 
teach.  He  was  assisted  by  his  wife, 
who  was  trained  in  the  girls’  board- 
ing-school, and  was  a true  helpmeet 
in  his  work.  During  the  first  year  of 
their  labours  there  nearly  forty  hope- 
ful converts  were  added  to  the  Church. 
In  1864,  just  before  leaving  China  for 
a visit  to  the  United  States  I visited 
this  station,  and  spent  several  days 
there  in  company  with  Mr.  Dodd. 
We  saw  abundant  evidence  of  the 
devotion,  discretion  and  executive 
ability  of  the  native  labourers,  and  of 
the  vital  piety  of  the  converts,  and 
vigorous  and  healthy  growth  of  the 
native  church.  We  arrived  on  Friday. 


SAN-POH. 


109 


The  following  Sunday  fifteen  persons — 
ten  women,  and  five  men — were  re- 
ceived into  the  Church  by  baptism  and 
sat  down  with  us  at  the  Lord’s  table. 
It  was  truly  one  of  the  pleasantest 
Sabbaths  that  I have  ever  known. 
The  next  year  nearly  the  same  number 
of  converts  were  added  to  the  Church 
as  during  the  previous  one.  We  were 
anticipating  from  this  young  native 
preacher  a long  course  of  increasing 
usefulness,  when  we  learned  that  he 
and  his  wife  and  mother  had  within  a 
few  days  been  called  to  their  rest. 

In  1864  the  San-poh  church  was 
divided,  and  the  separate  church  of 
Yii-yiao  constituted.  The  growth  of 
these  native  churches  was  not  without 
many  trials  and  discouragements,  and 
backslidings  and  defections  of  some 


10 


110 


SAN-POH. 


of  the  native  Christians.  The  first 
convert  at  Yii-yiao,  the  physician  to 
whom  I have  referred,  openly  denied 
the  faith  and  opposed  the  gospel  which 
he  had  professed  for  years.  Some 
grew  cold  and  indifferent,  others  fell 
into  temptation,  thus  affording  occa- 
sion to  the  enemy  to  blaspheme,  and 
giving  much  care  and  anxiety  to  the 
native  pastors  and  foreign  mission- 
aries. All  the  native  Christians  met 
with  more  or  less  opposition  and 
persecution.  Some  of  them,  as  they 
left  their  homes  every  Sunday  morn- 
ing to  attend  the  public  service  in  the 
chapel,  were  followed  by  the  scoffs 
and  curses  of  those  nearest  and  dearest 
to  them  in  their  own  families.  The 
native  preachers  were  often  reproached 
by  their  countrymen  as  teaching 


SAN-POH. 


Ill 


corrupt  doctrines  and  misleading  the 
people.  There  are  few  of  them  who 
have  not  suffered  violence  from  the 
hands  of  those  who  hate  them  and  the 
religion  which  thev  teach.  In  one  of 
his  visits  to  a neighbouring  village  in 
San-poh,  Zia  was  violently  attacked 
and  in  danger  of  being  killed.  Not- 
withstanding this  opposition,  the 
native  converts  increased  in  numbers, 
in  intelligence  and  in  steadfastness. 
I cannot  better  give  an  accurate  view 
of  the  character  of  our  native  labourers 
and  church  members,  and  the  gradual 
extension  of  our  work  in  the  out- 
stations,  than  by  referring  to  letters 
which  I have  received  from  Zia  Sin- 
sang  while  in  the  United  States, 
translations  of  which  will  be  found  in 
the  next  chapter. 


CHAPTER  V. 

LETTERS  OF  MR.  ZIA  FROM  SAN-POH. 

rpHE  following  note  from  Zia  Sin- 
sang  is  an  acknowledgment  of  a 
photographic  likeness  which  I sent 
him,  and  was  intended  to  reach  me 
before  I sailed.  It  is  dated  July,  1864. 
The  translation  of  this  letter,  as  well 
as  that  of  the  one  which  follows  it, 
though  as  literal  as  possible,  but  im- 
perfectly conveys  the  beauty  and 
delicate  shades  of  meaning  of  the 
original.  Neither  Zia  Sin-sang  nor 
any  of  our  native  preachers  are 

acquainted  with  our  language. 

112 


SAX-P0H. 


113 


“Your  younger  brother  in  the  re- 
ligion respectfully  addresses  his  pastor 
INTevius.  May  you  be  peaceful  and 
happy.  Yesterday  I was  delighted  to 
receive  the  likeness  which  you  have 
presented  to  me.  In  it  I imagine  that 
I can  almost  see  you  face  to  face.  I 
thank  you  most  heartily.  Xow  I have 
nothing  beautiful  to  send  you  in  re- 
turn, and  can  only  by  means  of  this 
letter  give  a slight  expression  of  the 
gratitude  of  my  heart.  Alas ! you  are 
about  to  leave  our  country?  I,  having 
through  the  favour  of  the  true  God, 
been  privileged  to  be  a disciple  of 
Jesus,  am  not  only  indebted  to  the 
grace  of  God,  but  also  owe  a debt  of 
love  to  my  several  foreign  teachers, 
which  it  is  difficult  for  me  to  express 
in  words.  I only  pray  that  you  and 
10  * 


114 


SAN-POH. 


Mrs.  JNTevius,  and  Mrs.  Rankin  and 
her  two  daughters,  may  enjoy  to  its 
very  end  a peaceful  journey.  As  to 
the  matter  of  my  praying  for  you,  I 
will  not  be  so  remiss  as  to  forget  it. 
As  to  your  praying  for  us,  it  is  hardly 
necessary  for  me  to  remind  and  urge 
you.  May  I trouble  you  to  carry  my 
Christian  salutations  to  the  teachers, 
pastors  and  Christian  brethren  in  the 
great  congregation  in  the  West.  With 
the  news  respecting  the  four  churches 
of  Ningpo  I suppose  you  are  already 
acquainted,  and  I will  not  trouble  you 
with  a repetition.  Hereafter  I will 
report  fully  what  may  happen  to  us 
in  San-poh.  I will  not  weary  you 
with  useless  words,  but  only  give  ex- 
pression again  to  my  thanks,  and  the 
earnest  wish  that  the  kingdom  of  God 


SAN-POH. 


115 


may  quickly  come,  and  that  we  may 
together  enjoy  peace  and  happiness.  I 
take  the  liberty  of  naming  the  one 
hundred  and  twenty-first  Psalm, 
hoping  that  you  and  your  company 
may  be  comforted  in  reading  it  by  the 
way,  and  that  you  may  receive  grace, 
mercy  and  peace  from  the  heavenly 
Father,  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Amen.” 

The  following  letter,  written  from 
San- poll,  bears  date  1867 — American 
reckoning,  second  month,  fourteenth 
day:  Chinese  reckoning,  first  month, 
tenth  day : 

“In  this  letter  I respectfully  address 
my  beloved  pastor  Aevius,  wishing 
you  peace  and  happiness.  Last  month 
I received  your  letter;  opening  and 
reading  it,  my  heart  was  rejoiced.  I 


116 


SAN-POH. 


much  regret  that  Mrs.  JSfevius’  health 
is  not  vet  entirely  restored.  What 
pleases  me  most  is,  that  it  is  still  your 
desire  and  purpose  to  return  to  the 
Middle  Kingdom.  I pray  that  you 
may  receive  the  favour  and  blessing 
of  our  heavenly  Father,  so  that  we 
too  may  be  blessed  through  you. 

“It  would  be  impossible,  within  the 
limits  of  a letter  to  deeribe  all  that 
has  transpired  since  you  left  us.  I 
can  only  refer  in  general  to  the  state 
of  the  churches  under  the  care  of  the 
Kingpo  Presbytery.  We  have  now  six 
— viz.,  Kingpo,  Bao-ko-t'ah,  San-poh, 
Yii-yiao,  Zong-yii  and  Hang-chow. 
Owing  to  the  favour  and  protection  of 
God,  they  are  all,  on  the  whole,  in  a 
peaceful  and  prosperous  condition. 
Special  news  of  other  places  I need  not 


SAN-POH. 


117 


write,  as  I suppose  such  news  has 
already  been  communicated  to  you  by 
others.  I will  give  you  an  account  of 
our  affairs  in  San-poh  somewhat  in 
detail. 

“The  Lord’s  Supper  is  now  celebrated 
in  rotation  in  the  seven  villages  within 
the  bounds  of  the  San-poli  church 
which  you  designated — viz.,  Mo-in-deo, 
Dziang-o-z,  Fu-san,  Pah-z-gyiao,  S- 
yiiing-pu,cOng-we  and  Siao-gyiao-deo. 
Several  other  villages  have  been  added 
to  the  list  of  those  which  contain 
Christians.  The  number  of  adult 
members  of  this  church  is  now  eighty. 
In  the  third  month  of  each  year  all 
of  them  assemble  from  the  different 
localities,  in  ISTu-san,  for  worship  and 
conference.  This  meeting  attracts 
many  who  are  not  members  of  the 


118 


SAN-POH. 


church  and  excites  much  interest 
among  all  classes.* 

“Among  our  church  members  there 
are  about  eight  who  are  weak  (stagger- 
ing, halting).  Of  those  who  are  active 
and  earnest,  and  delight  in  studying 
and  preaching  the  gospel,  there  are 
about  seven  persons — viz.,Ching-nong, 
Ching-lin,  Siao-pao,  Kae-fong,  Nong- 
kien,  Chang-wai  and  Chao-yung.  The 
rest  are  on  the  ordinary  level,  but 
most  of  them  are  able  to  read  in  the 
Roman  character.*)* 

* These  native  Christians  belong  to  not  less  than  fif- 
teen different  villages  scattered  over  a district  of  country 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  miles  in  diameter.  As  it  is  im- 
possible for  them  all  to  meet  every  Sunday  in  the  same 
place,  different  centres  or  out-stations  are  appointed  in  the 
several  neighbourhoods,  each  of  which  will,  we  trust,  at 
no  distant  period  have  its  separate  church. 

f The  written  language  or  language  of  books  is  very 
lifferent  from  the  spoken  one,  which  has  no  literature  and 


SAN-POH. 


119 


“Those  who  have  the  charge  of  the 
church  are  as  formerly  Zia  Ying- 
tong,*  Yih  Sin-sang  and  Lo  Sih-peng. 
Ping-iinf  is  teaching  school  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Dziang-o-z.  We  propose  this 

is  not  reduced  to  writing.  Of  this  book-language,  which  is 
represented  by  characters  or  letters  such  as  are  seen  on 
the  China  tea-chests  and  other  articles  imported  from 
China,  the  people  are  generally  ignorant.  As  most  of 
our  native  Christians  cannot  read  this  difficult  book- 
language,  the  missionaries  have  reduced  the  spoken 
language  to  writing,  representing  it  by  the  same  Eoman 
characters  which  we  use.  In  this  Romanized  vernacular, 
we  have  in  Ningpo  an  excellent  translation  of  the  New 
Testament  and  parts  of  the  Old,  a hymn-book,  and  a 
number  of  other  Christian  books.  This  is  the  literature 
referred  to  in  this  letter.  Mr.  Zia  states  the  fact  that 
most  of  the  “ordinary-level”  Christians  have  learned  to 
read  it,  in  order  to  show  that  they  have  more  zeal  and 
love  for  Christianity  than  we  might  suppose,  judging 
from  the  name  by  which  he  designates  them. 

* This  is  the  writer  of  this  letter.  He  was  ordained 
and  installed  a pastor  of  the  San-poh  church  in  1864. 

f This  is  one  of  the  boys  who  went  with  me  from  San- 
poh  in  1857  to  enter  the  Ningpo  boarding-school. 


120 


SAN-POH. 


year  to  elect  and  ordain  Ching-nong 
as  an  additional  elder.  We  also  wish 
to  elect  deacons. 

“My  son  Ah-loh  is  this  year  study- 
ing in  the  school  at  Kong  poh-ngen.* 
The  other  members  of  my  family  are 
well:  you  need  not  be  anxious  about 
us. 

“ I will  frankly  inform  you  about  my 
studies.  Besides  the  Bible,  the  books 
which  I have  studied  principally,  are 
those  which  were  prepared  by  you.  I 
have  made  a note  in  the  margin  of  the 
‘ Commentary  on  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  ’f  of  its  typographical  er- 
rors. There  are  in  all  a few  tens  of 
them.  I cannot  long  remember  what 

* The  name  of  the  place  in  Ningpo  where  the  boarding- 
school  was  established. 

f This  is  a book  which  I left  in  manuscript,  and  was 
printed  a short  time  before  the  writing  of  this  letter. 


SAN-POH. 


121 


I study.  I am  certainly  too  careless 
and  indolent. 

“I  am  a man  who  is  but  an  ignorant 
sinner.  When  I think  of  the  weighty 
responsibilities  which  have  been  de- 
volved upon  me,  and  of  the  peace  and 
prosperity  which  have  been  vouch- 
safed to  the  Church,  it  seems  that  our 
blessings  must  be  in  answer  to  the 
prayers  of  yourself,  Miss  Aldersey 
and  others.  May  I again  beg  you 
never  to  forget  San-poh  ? 

“Several  days  since,  when  I was  in 
Fu-san,  four  persons  were  received 
into  the  Church.  In  the  presence  of 
all  the  brethren  I communicated  your 
Christian  salutation.*  I also  read  a 
part  of  your  letter,  and  discoursed 
upon  it.  Afterward,  Ching-nong  said, 

* Literally,  “ A?k  peace.” 


11 


122 


SAN-POH. 


‘Will  you  thank  the  teacher,  and  also 
send  him  our  salutations?’  The  forty 
or  fifty  persons  in  the  chapel  all  ex- 
pressed the  wish  that  you  might 
quickly  return,  and  that  they  might 
again  see  you.  In  a word,  they  seemed 
very  much  pleased. 

“ Contraiyto  our  expectations,  within 
the  last  four  or  fhTe  years  several  of 
us  in  Ningpo  have  been  ordained  as 
preachers,  pastors  and  evangelists.  It 
is  to  be  regretted  that  we  are  all 
humble*  men.  It  is  my  opinion  that 
we  will  soon  have  one  preacher 
superior  to  us — viz.,  Chang  vong- 
kweng.f  May  I ask  you  when  you  pray 
for  us  not  to  forget  him?  In  the  ex- 

* Literally,  11  coarse.” 

t A young  man  who  is  a graduate  of  the  boarding- 
school. 


SAN-POH. 


123 


animations  of  candidates  before  the 
Presbytery  bis  careful  preparation 
was  most  evident.  He  is  particularly 
familiar  with  the  ‘Compendium  of 
Theology.’  His  wife  Ah-yuing*  has 
already  gone  to  heaven.  Her  zeal  and 
piety  knew  no  change  or  fluctuation. 
She  was  certainly  a person  to  be  re- 
spected and  loved. 

“Dzing  Shih-nyiaof  is  nowin  the 
employ  of  the  mission,  and  is  preach- 
ing in  Wu-tsiu.J  There  are  in  that 
place  seven  or  eight  persons  who  have 
already  united  with  the  Church.  This 

* Formerly  a pupil  of  the  girls’  boarding-school.  She 
had  a bright  intellect,  and  was  a fine  scholar  and  an 
earnest  C irisfian.  She  died  of  consumption. 

f This  is  Zia’s  old  friend,  through  whom  he  first  heard 
of  Christianity. 

| A city  about  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  in  the  in- 
terior. 


124 


SAN-POH. 


is  good  news,  which  I know  you  will 
be  delighted  to  hear.  Yih  Sin-sang 
and  Sih-peng  say  that  they  will  not 
write  at  present,  and  wish  to  send 
their  salutations  through  me.  My 
opportunities  and  abilities  to  write  are 
insufficient  to  satisfy  my  wishes. 
Hereafter  I will  not  write  you  again. 
My  best  wishes  to  Mrs.  Hevius. 
Will  you  give  my  salutations  to  the 
fellow-Christians  with  whom  you  are 
associated? 

“Your  younger  brother  in  Christ, 
“Zia  Ying-tong.” 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CONCLUSION. 

rilHE  previous  chapters  of  this  book 
were  written  in  the  United  States 
during  the  summer  of  1868,  just  be- 
fore leaving  for  China.  I am  now  writ- 
ing (February,  1869)  at  my  old  home 
in  Ningpo.  I returned  a day  or  two 
since  from  a visit  to  San-poh,  in  com- 
pany with  Rev.  Mr.  Leyenberger.  We 
started  in  a boat  precisely  like  the  one 
described  in  the  first  chapter,  and  with 
the  son  of  a boatman  whom  I often 
employed  years  ago.  He  reminded 
me  of  a visit  which  I formerly  paid  to 

11  * 125 


126 


SAN-POH. 


his  family  when  he  was  a bo}r,  which 
visit  he  remembers  very  distinctly. 
His  father  was  at  that  time  almost 
persuaded  to  become  a Christian,  and 
invited  me  to  go  to  his  village  to 
preach  to  his  people.  I am  sorry  to  say 
that  he  shrank  back  from  the  trials 
of  a Christian  life  and  died  an  idolater. 

In  passing  up  the  rivers  every 
object  was  familiar,  and  brought  up 
many  old  associations.  It  was 
pleasant  to  look  again  upon  the  out- 
stretched plain,  and  its  villages  and 
the  hills  in  the  distance,  and  to  hear 
the  shouts  of  the  men  at  the  mud- slide 
as  they  pulled  us  mp  from  the  head 
waters  of  the  river  into  the  canal 
above.  We  reached  Mr.  Zia’s  home 
late  at  night,  and  did  not  go  on  shore 
till  the  next  morning. 


SAN-P0H. 


127 


We  found  that  we  had  arrived  in 
a time  of  affliction,  and  that  the  first 
office  of  friendship  was  that  of  giving 
expression  to  our  sympathy.  Mr. 
Zia’s  little  daughter  had  died  but  a 
few  days  before.  She  was  the  pet  of 
his  family,  and,  as  he  said,  the 
prettiest  and  loveliest  of  his  children. 
He  seemed  to  take  a sad  pleasure  in 
talking  of  the  sleepless  nights  which  he 
spent  watching  with  her,  and  vainly 
endeavouring  to  alleviate  her  suffer- 
ings. He  spoke  also  of  the  great 
profit  he  had  derived  during  those 
painful  hours  in  the  school  of  afflic- 
tion in  thinking  upon  the  mysterious 
ways  of  Grod,  and  gaining  a glimpse 
through  the  portal  of  death  of  that 
“happy  land”  where  the  weary  and 
heavy  laden  shall  be  for  ever  at  rest, 


128 


SAN-POH. 


“ there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither 
sorrow  nor  crying.” 

We  found  Zia  the  same  unpreten- 
tious, frank  and  conscientious  man 
that  he  was  in  former  years.  I believe 
there  is  but  one  opinion  in  the  minds 
of  all  who  know  him,  whether  natives 
or  foreigners,  as  to  his  Christian 
character  and  devotion  to  his  work. 

The  condition  of  the  Church  is  very 
similar  to  that  described  in  Zia’s 
letter  in  the  previous  chapter.  Some 
of  the  native  Christians  give  decided 
evidence  of  growth  in  knowledge,  zeal 
and  stability  of  character:  others, 
though  without  reproach,  are  also 
without  zeal,  and  a few  are  wavering 
or  yielding  to  temptation,  and  relaps- 
ing into  idolatry.  Strife  and  dissen- 
sions have  also  arisen,  producing 


SAN-POH. 


129 


personal  estrangement  of  brethren, 
but  there  is  reason  to  hope  that  no 
serious  or  permanent  injury  to  the 
Church  will  ensue. 

Zi  Ching-lin,  the  tailor,  is  success- 
fully prosecuting  his  business,  beloved 
by  all  the  members  of  the  church,  and 
respected  by  all  who  know  him.  His 
brother,  Zi  Ching-yiiong,  is  now  an 
elder  in  the  Church.  The  fish-peddler 
has  been  improving  rapidly  in  a 
knowledge  of  books  and  Christianity, 
and  several  years  ago  was  elected  an 
elder  of  the  church,  taken  under  the 
care  of  the  Presbytery  as  a candidate 
for  licensure,  and  into  the  employ  of 
the  mission  as  a native  assistant.  But 
some  months  since,  on  account  of  a 
serious  quarrel  with  his  wife,  in  which 
he  used  abusive  and  unbecoming  lan- 


130 


SAN-POH. 


guage,  he  was  suspended  from  church 
communion  and  from  the  exercise  of 
the  functions  of  his  office  as  elder.  He 
was  also  dismissed  from  mission 
employ.  His  wife  was  suspended 
from  communion  with  the  church  at 
the  same  time.  Both  of  them  have 
acknowledged  their  fault,  and  profess 
penitence  and  a determination  to  live 
in  all  things  in  accordance  with  their 
duty  as  Christians.  They  have  not 
yet  been  restored  to  their  former 
position  in  the  church.  I refer  to  this 
case  to  show  that  the  native  pastors 
and  sessions,  and  the  Presbytery,  are 
not  lax  in  the  administering  of  disci- 
pline. Irregularities,  requiring  ex- 
hortation, reproof  and  church  disci- 
pline, are  constantly  arising,  which 
call  for  the  exercise  of  a great  deal  of 


SAN-POH. 


131 


care,  prudence  and  faithfulness.  I 
doubt  whether  such  cases  as  the  one 
here  referred  to  would  be  taken 
cognizance  of  in  many  of  our  churches 
at  home.  There  is  very  little  differ- 
ence of  opinion  with  regard  to  it  here. 

At  a recent  meeting  of  the  Presby- 
tery, the  San-poh  church  was  divided 
into  the  East  and  West  San-poh 
churches,  Mr.  Zia  continuing  to  be 
the  pastor  of  the  East  church,  and 
having  the  supervision  of  the  other, 
until  a suitable  native  pastor  can  be 
procured.  The  present  number  of 
Christians  in  these  two  churches 
combined  is  about  one  hundred.  This 
does  not  include  the  Yii-yiao  church, 
which  numbers  more  than  one  hun- 
dred. Every  year  gives  evidence  of 
progress  and  enlargement,  though  not 


132 


SAN-POH. 


in  that  degree  ’which  we  could  wish.  I 
do  not  know  of  one  of  the  San-poli 
church  members  who  receives  any 
pecuniary  aid  from  the  mission,  except 
one  or  two  who  are  employed  as  native 
assistants  or  catechists.  Contributions 
are  made  for  benevolent  purposes,  in 
all  the  out-stations,  and  it  is  the  in- 
tention of  the  church  to  increase  these 
contributions  so  as  to  furnish  the 
greater  part  of  the  pastor’s  salary. 

The  number  of  the  converts  in  a 
few  of  the  out-stations  is  increasing 
rapidly,  while  that  in  others  is  much 
diminished  by  death  and  defection. 
Earnest  women  of  simple  faith  and 
patient  endurance  under  trials  are 
among  the  principal  supporters  of 
several  of  these  out-stations. 

The  manner  in  which  w^eak  and 


SAN-POH. 


133 


imperfectly- instructed  Christians  who 
reside  at  a distance  from  the  pastor 
are  tempted  to  doubt,  and  are  some- 
times drawn  back  to  idolatry,  may  be 
illustrated  by  a case  which  occurred  a 
few  weeks  ago.  In  the  village  of  Mo- 
in-deo,  the  following  rumour,  origina- 
ting with  some  ill-disposed  person,  has 
created  much  excitement  and  suspi- 
cion : It  is  said  that  some  one  has  at 
last  discovered  the  reason  why  we  are 
so  zealous  in  making  converts — viz., 
that  we  collect  and  possess  ourselves 
of  the  spirits  of  all  our  converts  when 
they  die,  and  send  them  back  to  the 
United-  States  in  large  baskets,  where 
they  are  employed  in  keeping  in 
motion  the  wheels  and  superintend- 
ing the  work  of  our  cotton  factories. 

The  employment  of  this  spiritual 
12 


134 


SAN-POH. 


slave-labour  is  referred  to  as  tbe 
reason  why  foreign  cotton  cloth  is  so 
cheap.  A young  man,  who  is  a violent 
opposer  of  Christianity,  has  succeeded, 
by  making  use  of  this  current  rumour, 
in  so  filling  the  mind  of  his  mother, 
who  lately  became  a Christian,  with 
doubts  and  fears  that  she  has  re- 
nounced her  faith. 

I was  much  pleased  with  our  visit 
at  Dziang-o-z,  a large  village  in  the 
western  part  of  the  San-poh  plain, 
near  the  sea.  Here  we  had  made  an 
appointment  to  meet  several  native 
Christians,  whom  I was  not  able  for 
want  of  time  to  visit  at  their  homes. 
In  consequence  of  the  constant  and 
heavy  rains,  nearly  all  who  did  not 
reside  in  the  village  were  not  able  to 
be  present.  The  little  chapel,  how- 


SAN-POH. 


135 


ever,  was  full,  the  company  including 
all  the  Christians  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, about  twenty,  and  many  of  the 
neighbours,  who  were  attracted  by 
curiosity.  A considerable  time  was 
spent  in  familiar  conversation,  in  which 
all  took  part.  Idolatrous  worship  and 
sacrifices  to  gods  and  spirits  were 
freely  discussed.  Then  all  took  their 
seats  quietly,  the  men  removed  their 
hats,  and  the  whole  company  assumed 
the  appearance  of  respectful  and 
interested  worshippers,  while  we 
joined  in  singing  and  prayer  and 
attending  to  the  teachings  of  God’s 
word. 

Nearly  all  the  native  Christians 
here  are  farmers.  They  are  poor,  but 
above  want.  The  men  work  in  the 
fields  during  the  summer,  and  spend 


136 


SAN-POH. 


most  of  the  time  in  the  winter  in 
braiding  straw-hats  for  the  market. 
In  this  way  they  earn  from  four  to  ten 
cents  in  a day.  The  women,  in  addi- 
tion to  cooking  and  taking  care  of 
their  houses,  employ  their  leisure-time 
in  spinning  cotton  and  weaving.  They 
are  simple-minded  country-people,  but 
they  are  able  to  give  an  intelligent 
reason  for  the  hope  that  is  in  them. 
They  often  speak  to  their  neighbours 
of  the  truths  of  Christianity,  and,  what 
is  better,  they  illustrate  these  truths 
in  an  encouraging  measure  in  their 
lives. 

Near  this  village  is  a very  large  and 
crowded  town  called  Tsiu-ong,  where 
a little  more  than  a year  ago  there 
was  not  a single  Christian,  but  there 
are  now  near  twenty.  A devout  and 


SAN-POH. 


137 


earnest  woman,  who  liacl  grace  to  sutler 
much  persecution  and  trial  for  the 
sake  of  Christ,  has  been  one  of  the 
principal  agents  made  use  of  in  com- 
mencing the  work  here.  This  station 
is  connected  with  the  Yii-yiao  church. 
There  is  now  a native  catechist  resid- 
ing there. 

It  is  very  sad  in  passing  over  this 
region  to  witness  the  desolations  pro- 
duced by  the  Tai-ping  insurgents. 
Large  sections  of  some  of  the  villages 
contain  nothing  but  ruins.  Many  of 
the  inhabitants  live  in  low,  rude 
hovels,  because  they  are  too  poor  to 
provide  themselves  with  anything 
better.  They  are,  however,  labouring 
industriously,  and  if  peace  continues, 
will  before  many  years  have  passed 
rebuild  their  desolated  villages. 

12  * 


138 


SAN-P0H. 


In  reviewing  the  history  of  the  past 
twelve  years  in  San-poh  and  Yii-yiao, 
it  is  difficult  to  estimate  what  has  been 
accomplished.  More  than  two  hun- 
dred hopeful  converts  are  now  to  be 
found  in  these  churches.  Yearly  a 
score  of  believers  who  have  witnessed 
a good  confession  have  already  passed 
from  the  abodes  of  superstition  and 
idolatry  to  join  the  general  assembly 
of  the  Church  of  the  first  born  whose 
names  are  written  in  heaven.  And 
are  these  the  only  results?  By  no 
means.  This  whole  region  is  begin- 
ning to  be  pervaded  with  the  leaven 
of  Christianity.  Thousands  of  men 
and  women  are  familiar  with  the  name 
of  Jesus.  Topics  connected  with  the 
Christian  religion  are  freely  discussed 
everywhere.  Some  who  have  not  yet 


SAN-POH. 


139 


learned  to  love  the  Gospel  are 
thoroughly  convinced  of  the  folly  of 
idolatry,  and  are  relaxing  in  their 
attention  to  heathen  ceremonies  or 
abstaining  from  them  altogether.  May 
we  not  hope  that  a preparation  is 
being  made  for  a general  turning  of 
this  people  to  Christ,  and  will  not 
those  who  love  his  cause  pray  that 
this  desired  consummation  may  be 
hastened? 


CHINESE  IN  CALIFORNIA. 


rpHE  author,  on  his  return  to  China, 
stopped  for  a few  days  in  San 
Francisco.  The  following  are  his  im- 
pressions of  the  work  among  the 
Chinese  in  California : 

Modes  of  Reaching  the  Chinese 
with  the  Gospel. — In  accompanying 
Mr.  Loomis  in  one  of  his  street-preach- 
ing excursions,  I found  that  this  part 
of  his  work  was  very  similiar  to  the 
same  kind  of  work  in  China.  Many 
of  the  Chinese  recognized  him  as  an 
old  friend,  and  received  his  salutations 
very  respectfully  and  with  their 
accustomed  politeness.  In  a Chinese 
boarding-house  where  we  stopped  for 
uo 


CHINESE  IN  CALIFORNIA. 


141 


some  time,  Mr.  Loomis  and  a native 
Christian  talked  to  a group  of  the 
inmates  ; the  keeper  of  the  house  was 
evidently  much  annoyed,  and  after  a 
time  gave  free  expression  to  his  feel- 
ings in  language  like  the  following : 
u This  place  was  not  opened  for  preach- 
ing. You  have  a chapel,  why  not  stay 
there  rather  than  come  here  to  inter- 
fere with  our  business?” 

On  Sunday  afternoon  and  evening 
Mr.  Loomis  has  a Sunday-school, 
about  one  hundred  j)ersons,  old  and 
young  being  present.  Ladies  and 
gentleman  from  different  churches  in 
the  city  come  in  to  take  classes.  As 
none  of  these  volunteer  teachers  under- 
stand the  Chinese  language,  and  but 
few  of  the  Chinese  are  acquainted  with 
ours,  the  time  is  occupied  chiefly  in 


142 


CHINESE  IN  CALIFORNIA. 


teaching  English  by  the  use  of  Scrip- 
ture cards  and  primary  reading-books. 
A desire  to  learn  to  speak  and  read 
English  is  the  principal  motive  which 
attracts  the  Chinese  to  this  school,  and 
a considerable  proportion  of  them 
leave  when  religious  exercises,  which 
follow  in  Chinese,  commence. 

What  Good  has  been  Done? — But 
to  return  to  the  ever-recurring  ques- 
tion, ‘‘What  good  has  been  done?” 
First  of  all,  there  is  here  a little  church 
established.  It  contains  less  than  a 
score  of  members,  it  is  true,  but  they 
are  intelligent,  growing  Christians. 
They  not  only  support  themselves,  but 
are  glad  to  do  what  they  can  to  help 
others.  Several  hopefully-converted 
persons  have  returned  to  China,  some 
of  whom  are  studying  to  prepare 


CHINESE  IN  CALIFORNIA. 


143 


themselves  to  preach  the  Gospel  to 
their  countrymen.  And  is  this  all 
that  has  been  accomplished  ? By  no 
means.  We  have  great  reason  to  be 
thankful  that  those  immigrants  do  not 
leave  our  shores  without  some  palpa- 
ble evidence  that  we  care  for  their 
souls,  and  without  one  effort  at  least 
for  their  spiritual  benefit.  We  may 
the  better  appreciate  what  has  been 
accomplished  by  imagining  what  would 
have  been  the  condition  and  the  feel- 
ings of  this  people  if  our  mission  had 
not  been  established  among  them. 
Many  of  them  have  found  in  the 
missionary  their  true  and  perhaps 
only  friend  from  among  our  people. 
In  visiting  the  eight  hundred  Chinese 
who  are  returning  to  their  homes  on 
the  ship  on  which  I am  now  writing, 


144 


CHINESE  IN  CALIFORNIA. 


I have  been  delighted  to  find  that  a 
large  proportion  of  them  are  familiar 
with  our  chapel,  know  more  or  less 
what  is  taught  there,  and  regard  with 
the  greatest  respect  the  missionary. 
When  they  saw  me  coming  among 
them  with  a selection  of  tracts  in  my 
hands,  they  almost  uniformly  ex- 
claimed (though  I was  an  entire 
stranger  to  them),  “Here  is  a man 
who  talks  Jesus.” 

Eternity  alone  will  disclose  the  re- 
sults of  the  efforts  which  have  already 
been  put  forth  in  this  mission.  Still, 
very  little  has  been  attempted,  in 
comparison  to  what  the  Church  might 
and  ought  to  do. 


Date  Due 

g 1 5 ’4( 

’mmmm 

Tu,*?  <2* 

f&*wm  7- 

* 

<f) 

BW8349  .S2N5 

San-Poh,  or,  North  of  the  hills. : A 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1 1012  00040  1135 


